Wrongful Death Attorney Greenville NC

Losing a loved one due to another’s negligence or wrongful actions devastates families emotionally and financially, creating a void that can never truly be filled. When facing such a tragedy, you need a compassionate yet aggressive wrongful death attorney Greenville NC law firm to help your family recover compensation.

During these overwhelming times of grief and uncertainty, Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers will be a guiding light. We will shoulder the legal burden while you prioritize healing and remembering your loved one. Our goal is to hold negligent parties accountable while treating your family with the respect and compassion everyone deserves. 

When you’re ready, our team is here to listen and to offer whatever assistance we can.

Why Choose Our Wrongful Death Attorney Greenville NC Law Firm

Losing a loved one to a preventable death causes immense emotional and financial hardship. While no amount of money can truly compensate or replace your loss, securing a substantial recovery can protect your family’s financial future and hold the responsible parties accountable. Our wrongful death lawyers fight relentlessly for maximum compensation, and with our contingency fee arrangement, you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Established and Experienced Legal Representation

Our firm has built a reputation throughout Pitt County and eastern North Carolina for competent and aggressive legal advocacy, both inside and outside the courtroom. We leverage over 150 years of collective experience in each case we represent, ensuring your family receives the dedicated attention and skilled legal representation you deserve. 

Million Dollar Recoveries

We have helped surviving family members secure millions of dollars in compensation following the tragic loss of their loved ones. Our wrongful death lawyer team understands how to build compelling cases that demonstrate the full extent of your losses. Each significant recovery represents a family we’ve helped find financial security while honoring their loved one’s memory.

Compensation Available in Wrongful Death Cases

North Carolina law recognizes different categories of damages available to families who have lost loved ones due to another party’s negligence or wrongful conduct. Understanding these distinctions helps families appreciate the full scope of potential recovery available. Our experienced legal team evaluates each case thoroughly to identify all compensable damages your family may pursue.

Survival Actions

Under North Carolina law, survival actions give the estate the right to recover damages that the decedent could have claimed if they had lived. These cases focus on what your loved one went through between the time of their injury and their passing, including their pain, suffering, and financial losses. In a survival action, the estate may recover damages such as:

• Pain and suffering endured before death
• Lost income from injury until death
• Medical expenses incurred
• Property damage
• Vehicle damage
• Punitive damages when applicable

Survival action proceeds become part of the deceased’s estate and are distributed according to their will or North Carolina intestacy laws. Our wrongful death lawyers in Greenville work closely with estate administrators to ensure these claims are properly pursued alongside wrongful death claims.

Wrongful Death Claims

North Carolina General Statute § 28A-18-2 establishes the framework for wrongful death claims, which compensate the surviving family members for their losses resulting from their loved one’s death. Only the personal representative of the deceased’s estate is permitted to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of eligible beneficiaries. Wrongful death benefits are as follows:

• Lost income and benefits the deceased would have earned.
• Loss of services, protection, care, and assistance.
• Loss of society, companionship, comfort, and guidance.
• Reasonable funeral and burial expenses.
• Punitive damages in cases involving willful or wanton conduct.
• Nominal damages are awarded when liability is established, but monetary losses are difficult to quantify.

In North Carolina, the personal representative must file the claim within two years of the death. However, exceptions may apply in certain circumstances. Our wrongful death attorneys in Greenville, NC ensure all procedural requirements are met while building a strong case for full compensation.

Workers’ Compensation Death Benefit Claims

When a death occurs due to a workplace accident or occupational disease, North Carolina’s workers’ compensation insurance system provides specific benefits to surviving dependents. These claims operate independently from civil wrongful death actions and provide guaranteed benefits regardless of fault. Available benefits include:

• Funeral and Burial Costs: The workers’ compensation insurance carrier must pay up to $10,000 for reasonable funeral and burial expenses. These funds are paid directly to the funeral home or reimbursed to the family member who paid these costs.
• Death Benefits: Surviving dependents receive weekly compensation equal to two-thirds of the deceased worker’s average weekly wage, subject to statutory maximum and minimum amounts. These benefits continue for 500 weeks, though certain dependents, like surviving spouses, may receive extended benefits under specific circumstances.

Workers’ compensation death benefits provide immediate financial relief without requiring proof of employer negligence. However, families may still pursue additional damages against third parties whose negligence contributed to the workplace fatality. Our Raleigh wrongful death attorneys will help you seek recovery beyond workers’ compensation limits.

How Our Wrongful Death Attorneys Prove Negligence

Proving negligence is the cornerstone of most wrongful death claims in North Carolina. We must demonstrate that the defendant owed a duty of care to your loved one, breached that duty through their actions or inactions, and that breach directly caused the fatal incident. 

Our legal team gathers vital evidence and expert testimony to build an irrefutable case demonstrating how the defendant’s negligence led to your family’s devastating loss.

Potential Causes of Fatal Injuries and Accidents

Fatal incidents occur under diverse situations involving negligence, careless behavior, or deliberate acts that cause death. Whether at crowded crossroads surrounding ECU Health Medical Center or work sites across Pitt County, hazardous situations can develop in any location. Recognizing typical causes enables families to identify when they might have valid reasons to pursue legal remedies after losing a family member.

Workplace Accidents

Industrial and construction sites across Greenville pose serious risks when safety protocols are ignored or poorly enforced, often leading to fatal accidents. Workers in manufacturing facilities along Red Banks Road and on construction projects throughout the city face daily dangers that employers have a duty to address. Some of the most common fatal workplace accidents include:

• Falls from heights
• Electrocution incidents
• Struck-by object accidents
• Caught in or between machinery
• Exposure to toxic substances
• Trench collapses
• Forklift accidents
• Scaffolding failures

North Carolina’s Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to maintain safe working conditions and comply with safety regulations. When violations of these standards result in worker fatalities, our wrongful death attorneys pursue both workers’ compensation benefits and potential third-party claims to secure comprehensive compensation for surviving families.

Serious Vehicle Accidents

Fatal vehicle accidents in Greenville often result from the failure of individuals or organizations to exercise reasonable care. These cases require careful legal analysis to determine liability and hold responsible parties accountable. Common types of vehicle accidents include:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: Motor vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, and buses are a leading cause of wrongful death. High-risk areas, including intersections like Arlington Boulevard and Greenville Boulevard, see numerous fatal crashes each year, and highways such as US-264 and NC-11, leaving families across eastern North Carolina to cope with devastating losses.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: The growing network of greenways and increased foot traffic near East Carolina University create more opportunities for fatal pedestrian accidents. Drivers failing to yield at crosswalks or driving carelessly in areas with heavy pedestrian activity cause preventable deaths that forever change families.

The attorneys at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers investigate every aspect of these accidents, from reviewing traffic camera footage to consulting accident reconstruction experts. We work persistently to establish liability and pursue all available sources of compensation for your family’s losses.

Premises Liability

Property owners in Greenville are legally required to maintain safe conditions for anyone lawfully on their property, whether at shopping centers along Evans Street or apartment complexes near the university. Fatal premises liability incidents happen when owners fail to correct known hazards or warn visitors about dangerous conditions. Some of the most common premises liability fatalities include:

• Slip and fall accidents
• Inadequate security leading to criminal attacks
• Swimming pool drownings
• Balcony or deck collapses
• Fire code violations
• Elevator and escalator malfunctions
• Negligent maintenance of walkways
• Dog attacks

Property owners have numerous responsibilities to maintain safe premises for lawful visitors. When property owners’ negligence results in fatal injuries, our wrongful death lawyer team holds them accountable for failing to protect visitors from preventable hazards.

Product Liability

Defective products sold in stores throughout Greenville or manufactured by companies operating in North Carolina can cause fatal injuries when they malfunction or contain hidden dangers. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have legal obligations to ensure products are safe for their intended use. Fatal product defects include:

• Vehicle defects
• Defective medical devices
• Dangerous drugs
• Faulty industrial equipment
• Contaminated food products
• Defective children’s toys
• Flammable clothing or furniture
• Exploding batteries or electronics

Product liability claims often involve complex litigation against large corporations with substantial resources dedicated to avoiding responsibility. Our experienced legal team has the knowledge and resources necessary to pursue these challenging cases, ensuring manufacturers are held accountable for putting profits over consumer safety.

How We Maximize Your Wrongful Death Compensation

From the moment we take your wrongful death case, our attorneys at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers begin an exhaustive investigation to maximize your compensation. Our wrongful death attorneys in Greenville, NC combine cutting-edge investigative technology with our extensive legal experience to construct compelling cases that deliver meaningful outcomes. Our commitment is to secure the full compensation your family needs and deserves—never accepting inadequate settlement offers that don’t reflect your true losses.

Gathering and Preserving Evidence

Taking prompt action to preserve evidence is critical to the success of wrongful death claims, as key proof can be lost or deteriorate quickly. We immediately send investigators to accident sites, work closely with law enforcement, and issue preservation letters to protect essential evidence. Our evidence collection process includes:

• Accident scene photographs and measurements
• Surveillance footage from nearby businesses
• Dashcam video
• Vehicle black box data
• Cell phone records
• Employment and medical records
• Witness statements
• Expert analysis reports
• Safety inspection records

After collecting evidence, we carefully organize and analyze every piece of information to construct a convincing narrative demonstrating the defendant’s liability. Our attention to detail in evidence preservation ensures we can present the strongest possible case, whether in settlement negotiations or at trial.

Identifying All At-Fault Defendants

Many wrongful death cases involve multiple parties whose combined negligence contributed to the fatal incident. We examine every aspect of your loved one’s death to uncover all parties who may bear legal responsibility for your loss. Potentially liable parties include:

• Direct tortfeasors
• Employers under vicarious liability
• Property owners and managers
• Product manufacturers and distributors
• Government entities
• Contractors and subcontractors
• Insurance companies

Pursuing claims against all responsible parties increases the available insurance coverage and assets to satisfy your family’s claim. Our comprehensive approach ensures no liable party escapes accountability for their role in your loved one’s death.

Relentlessly Negotiating Full Settlements

Our reputation for aggressive litigation motivates insurance companies to offer fair settlements rather than risk a trial against our experienced legal team. We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, demonstrating to insurers that we won’t accept inadequate offers that fail to address your family’s complete losses. The wrongful death attorneys at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers are on top of it, ensuring insurance companies understand we mean business when demanding fair compensation for our clients.

Aggressively Litigating Wrongful Death Lawsuits

When insurance companies refuse reasonable settlement offers, we’re prepared to take your case before a jury of your peers in Pitt County Superior Court. Our Greenville wrongful death attorneys have extensive courtroom experience presenting complicated cases in ways that resonate with jurors and demonstrate the full impact of your loss. We combine compelling storytelling with solid legal arguments and expert testimony to pursue the justice your family deserves.

Contact Our Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney Greenville NC Law Firm

If you’ve lost a loved one, Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers is here to offer the legal and emotional support you need during a difficult time. You aren’t alone in this. To request a free consultation with our experienced wrongful death attorney Greenville NC law firm, contact our law firm online. You can also reach us by phone at (252) 777-2222.