The death of a loved one is a horrible shock to many people, especially after a traumatic accident like drowning. However, the grief you are feeling may also be tinged with anger, especially if the evidence starts to point to the negligence and carelessness of others being the primary reason why the drowning took place. If you are now facing this emotional situation, here are the next steps you should take as quickly as possible.
Get the Police Report
After any type of drowning, police will investigate the matter and file a report that details their findings. Once this report is completed, always obtain a copy. Since this report will give the opinion of law enforcement as to what or who was responsible for the drowning, you may be able to use this to your advantage if you choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Hire an Attorney
If it appears that your loved one drowned due to the negligence or carelessness of others, always hire a personal injury attorney to represent you in a wrongful death lawsuit. By doing so, your attorney can gather key parts of evidence about the drowning, call on expert witnesses to testify in court if needed, and put pressure on insurance companies to negotiate an out-of-court settlement for substantial compensation.
Don’t Take the Quick Settlement
If a party knows they were likely responsible for the drowning of your loved one, their insurance company may contact you soon afterward in an attempt to give you a quick settlement. Unfortunately, this amount of money will not begin to compensate you and your family for your suffering after losing your loved one. Instead of jumping at this offer, always speak to your attorney first. More than likely, your lawyer will be able to negotiate a much better settlement on your behalf.
Stay off Social Media
While your case is playing out, try to refrain from making social media posts that pertain to your wrongful death lawsuit. Since you will still be very upset at your loved one’s death, you may post something that the defendant or their insurance company will try to use against you in court. If you say the wrong thing, it could severely impact your case.
Since you and your family deserve to be compensated following the drowning death of your loved one, do all you can to put the odds in your favor. By taking these steps right away, you can win your wrongful death lawsuit.
Author information: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her husky, Snowball.
