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Wrongful Death

A recent study released by the Center for Disease Control in September, 2004 showed that in the United States an average of 18 people an hour die of traumatic injuries they sustain in daily life, making unintentional injuries the 5th leading cause of death in the nation, and the number one cause for those between the ages of 1 and 40.
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\nIn the study, the CDC concluded that the only way to cut down on the high number of fatal injuries was through broader and better efforts at prevention. Unfortunately, that recommendation will most likely fall on deaf ears when those who can make the biggest difference in improving safety are presented with it.
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\nThe insurance industry is best positioned to ensure that accidents cause less harm to those injured, and to prevent death whenever possible. But with an industry wide agenda that places loyalty to the stockholders of their companies far above the value of policyholders, insurance companies often fail to work in the best interests of public safety. Investing in procedures and safeguards that would make the products we use safer and our jobs, schools, homes and hospitals more secure costs money and would require sweeping changes in the way insurance has always done business. This won’t happen in our lifetime.
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\nWhile the law makes it possible for the survivors of wrongful death victims to pursue adequate compensation for the fatal negligence or carelessness of an individual or business entity, the law doesn’t make it easy. In the grief and confusion that follows the sudden and unnecessary loss of a loved one, families are expected to move quickly to pursue legal action against those responsible. An attorney that can advance your case decisively and determine the financial losses you’ve incurred is essential to getting the best verdict or settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit.
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\nWrongful death can result from many types of unfortunate circumstances, but the common denominator for every wrongful death claim is that some degree of negligence on the part of another contributed to the victim’s demise. The resulting jury award or settlement is determined by several economic factors, including the victim’s life expectancy and life income, the pain, suffering and medical costs (if any) that the victim experienced before death, and intangibles related to the grieving family, such as loss of parenting, loss of companionship, emotional distress and anguish.
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\nThe Norfolk, Virginia attorneys of Breit, Drescher & Imprevento have represented the survivors of wrongful death victims across several practice areas, including those who’ve perished in car accidents, truck accidents, maritime and shipping accidents, defective product accidents, and fatal events from pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs.
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\n Our goal in every wrongful death claim is to not only obtain the highest possible compensation for the survivors, but also to find the flaws in existing laws that don’t adequately protect people and do all we can to bring about lasting and positive changes in the law. Whether the law in question is state law or international, our attorneys always seek to make justice the servant of public safety.
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\nWrongful Death from Prescription Drugs & Pharmaceuticals
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\nIn today’s world of pro-business government, nowhere is consumer safety more at risk than in the area of prescription drugs. The numbers support this concern. Since 1996, the frequency of adverse events from prescription drug reactions has doubled, with 373,000 instances reported in 2003 alone. Despite this increase, the FDA has recalled just one drug – Vioxx- in the past three years. Without a strong presence on the federal level working to protect American consumers from dangerous prescription drugs, consumers must exercise their legal rights to place curbs on the power of Big Pharma.
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\nIf you’ve lost a loved one who was on Vioxx, Crestor, Bextra or any other prescription drug and suspect that these drugs contributed to his or her death, call us to discuss the legal options you may have. For prompt, accurate and free advice from Virginia’s most successful personal injury attorneys, contact Breit, Drescher & Imprevento today.
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\nBDI Wrongful Death Verdicts and Settlements that have made a Difference
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\nIn a wrongful death case involving a coal-carrying ship explosion off the coast of South Africa that killed five, BDI attorneys obtained $3.9 million for the surviving families. Following the settlement, international laws governing the way coal is shipped overseas were enhanced to improve the safety of those on board coal-carrying ships.
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\nIn a wrongful death suit against a shipyard in Bahrain (an island nation in the Persian Gulf), BDI attorneys participated in a suit against shipyard for failing to properly install a boiler on board a ship, leading to an explosion that killed 10. When the Bahrain shipyard resisted paying the $6.1 million judgment, BDI lawyers got the help of U.S. Congressman Owen B. Pickett to sponsor legislation that prohibited American naval vessels from patronizing the shipyard. The Bahrain shipyard settled soon thereafter.
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\nBD & I attorneys secured $1,250,000 for the four-year-old daughter of a woman killed in a collision with another vehicle. The vehicle, driven by a car salesman, was owned by a car dealership and displayed the dealer’s name. BDI attorneys persuaded a jury that the dealership was liable for the car salesman’s negligence while driving the company vehicle.

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Library for Wrongful Death:

• Examples of Wrongful Death Cases In Virginia   
  Description: In what kind of situations do families decide to sue a person, institution, or company for wrongful death? Read about a few recent examples of wrongful death cases in Virginia.
• Common Causes Of Wrongful Death   
  Description: When is the death of a loved one a simple accident, and when it is a wrongful death case that deserves legal representation? Learn what the one major sign of a wrongful death case is, and what the most common types of wrongful death are in Virginia.
• Do You Have a Wrongful Death Case?   
  Description: The attorneys at the Norfolk Law Firm of Breit, Drescher and Improvento offer legal assistance to those who have been injured due to no fault of their own. A preventable accident that results in the death of a family member is something that no one should suffer through alone. Contact our offices to see if you have grounds for a wrongful death case.

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Frequent Questions for Wrongful Death:

• How much can survivors receive in a wrongful death case?
• How is “wrongful death” defined?

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Blog for Wrongful Death

• Two Families Sue For Wrongful Death In VA Tech Shootings

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