Philadelphia Wrongful Death Attorneys
Tirelessly Pursuing Justice for You & Your Family
Losing a loved one is the most difficult situations you can face. Knowing
that your loved one’s death could have been avoided can make the
healing process immeasurably more challenging. Unfortunately, this situation
is not uncommon. All too often, carelessness, recklessness, and negligence
lead to devastating, fatal accidents and families are left to pick up
the pieces.
If your loved one died due to another person or party’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you have legal options. Our Philadelphia wrongful death lawyers can help you seek justice in the wake of your loss. We work to hold negligent people and parties accountable while also working to recover rightful compensation for victims’ loved ones. While no amount of financial recovery can ever “make up” for your loss, a successful claim can allow you to handle unexpected financial hardships and find the ability to heal and move forward.
Contact Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law PC online or call our office today at (877) 989-4878 to learn more about how we can help you and your family. Your initial consultation is free.
When Is Someone’s Death Considered “Wrongful?”
By law, the death of a person is considered “wrongful” when it results from the negligent actions (or inactions) or unlawful conduct of another person, party, or entity. In other words, if the death could have been prevented, it is a wrongful death.
Wrongful death claims often involve the following:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and falls
- Defective products
- Truck accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Work-related accidents
In short, if the deceased would have been eligible to file a personal injury claim had he or she lived, the deceased’s surviving loved ones have grounds to bring a wrongful death claim.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Pennsylvania?
As in other states, Pennsylvania limits the people who are allowed to file a wrongful death claim. Generally speaking, the personal representative of the deceased’s estate is the one who actually files the claim. This is someone named in the deceased’s will or appointed by the court if no will exists. The personal representative has six months to file a claim on behalf of the deceased’s beneficiaries. If they do not file the claim within this time period, any of the beneficiaries may then bring a claim on behalf of all beneficiaries.
What Damages Are Available?
Financial compensation can never make up for or undo the loss you have endured. However, an unexpected death can bring with it certain financial hardships. This is especially true when the deceased earned income to support the beneficiaries, but anyone can face economic challenges in the aftermath of a wrongful death.
A wrongful death claim allows you to seek compensation for:
- Medical costs/hospital expenses
- Funeral and/or burial costs
- Costs associated with estate administration
- Lost wages/income
- Lost benefits
- The value of household services provided by the deceased
- Loss of comfort, companionship, and society
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
In some cases, you may be able to recover punitive damages. These are meant to “punish” the negligent party and help ensure that similar acts do not occur again in the future.
How Are Wrongful Death Settlements Paid Out?
A wrongful death settlement will usually be paid out in either one of two ways:
Structured Settlement
A Structure Settlement is when the surviving family receives regular payments from the final settlement amount obtained in the personal injury case. This method is intended to provide the family with ongoing payments to help meet their needs over a longer period of time. This method is often difficult to get reversed once it has been agreed upon.
Lump-Sum
A Lump-Sum settlement is when the surviving family is awarded the entirety of their settlement in one payment. This can be beneficial for families who are facing large up-front medical bills or other expenses due to their loss.
Contact Our Firm Today for a Free, No-Obligation Consultation
At Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law PC, we understand just how difficult this time is for you and your family. Our wrongful death attorneys in Philadelphia are prepared to guide you through the process of seeking justice so that you can begin to heal. Throughout the process, we will provide you with compassionate legal counsel and personalized attention, all while aggressively advocating for you and your family. If necessary, we are ready to take your case to trial in order to fight for the justice you deserve.
Contact Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law PC online or call our office at (877) 989-4878 now to learn more from our wrongful death lawyers in Philadelphia.
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$5 Million Trucking Accident
A settlement was obtained for three victims of a tractor-trailer crash.
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$4 Million Trucking Accident
Our client was hit by an overweight and out-of-control tractor-trailer which was driving illegally on PA 115. This verdict was the #1 trucking collision verdict in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2011.
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$3 Million Medical Malpractice
Settlement for a confidential medical malpractice case.
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$2 Million Medical Malpractice
A settlement was obtained in a case where the doctor negligently managed anesthesia.
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$1.8 Million Car Accident
A settlement was obtained for a firefighter who was injured in an automobile crash.
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$1.5 Million Medical Malpractice
A verdict was obtained on behalf of a medical malpractice victim involving a doctor failing to provide informed consent for a tonsillectomy. Was named one of the top 30 verdicts in Pennsylvania in 2015.
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We could have never made it without Molly Clark and Fellerman & Ciarimboli!! It's scary going after someone for wrongdoing and she took us through every step. She answered all our questions, good or bad. She was available 24-7 and weekends fighting for us. She fought for our needs and got us what was deserved!! They are the best choice!!- Star K.
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- Frank K.
I have a friend who sought help from Fellerman & Ciarimboli and said they were very nice and helpful. So when I needed assistance, they were the first ones I thought of, and gave them a call. I was connected to Attorney Molly Clark, who made a significant impact. Her comforting personality created a welcoming environment during our interactions, turning what could have been a somber experience into one filled with positivity. Our upbeat conversations, in contrast to the challenging situation, improved my well-being.
What truly won me over was Molly's commitment to keeping me informed about the progress of my situation. Whenever I called her with questions, she promptly provided answers, ensuring I had the information I needed when I needed it. Working with Fellerman & Ciarimboli was a positive experience given the circumstances I was facing. I highly recommend Attorney Molly and the firm to anyone seeking reliable and compassionate assistance during challenging times.
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Molly thank you for everything you’ve done for Terry and me. You went above and beyond. You are like family to us and will always love you!- Arlene P.
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I can't express how GREAT my first experience with an attorney has been! I'm not kidding when I say that both you and the entire firm are I think the best around. Once get things settled around here, I would like to make an appointment to come up to talk about some other issues, but I have been doing nothing, but singing the praises of you The entire organization to everyone that I speak with.- R.R.
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- Client
There are no adequate words to convey to you, Mike, and Ed how grateful our family is for all of your hard work in helping us through the most difficult time of our lives. Your commitment to justice is unlike anything we have ever witnessed. Our tragedy became your tragedy. The three of you have become part of our family.
Harry, you explained everything necessary in terms which were comprehensible and helpful to us to better understand all that was presented. We are so grateful for that.
The compassion shown to us by not only the three of you, but everyone to whom we encountered at Fellerman & Ciarimboli was off the charts and so sincere.
We will grieve our profound loss for the rest of our lives, but all of you helped to make it a bit easier, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
God's Blessings to you and your family.
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Molly, Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much you mean to me, throughout this process, you have always been there and helped me through. I am glad it all came to a good ending and that it is over. But, I will miss you and you will always be referred to anyone that ever asks me for an amazing lawyer! Keep fighting for the people who need you! You are amazing at what you do, you're professional and genuine! I wish you all the best in your career and am happy that I chose you to take my case. Your team is amazing, too!- Nicole W.
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“Happy that the night that ruined a lot in my life was finally over. If you want a great firm, get things done right and efficiently, and have a team supporting you along your journey, I suggest F&C to be your choice!”- Nicole W.
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I was in a bad accident and I had my daughter in the car with me. I highly recommend this firm. My attorney Myer Messinger was very compassionate and offered empathy with helping me and my daughter with the mental agony we experienced after the accident. Mr Messinger is very professional and knowledgeable. We sat for hours for the mediation and he fought to get me the best settlement- Enide Jerome
