In the city of San Luis Obispo, a fatal motorcycle accident is often the fault of a person operating their motor vehicle negligently. Thousands of these accidents are reported each year across the country. Most fatal accidents involving motorcycles could have been avoided. A vehicle accident is normally caused by someone’s negligence. Because of this, the family, or next of kin, have a legal right to sue for compensation for the loss of their loved one.
It is tragic when a loved one dies as the result of an accident, but it is perhaps even more so when the accident is caused by someone’s negligent act. A family may suffer a substantial financial impact when a loved one passes away.
When a motorcycle accident involves the death of a victim, the next of kin has the right to recover damages. People considered next of kin include spouses, children, siblings and parents. Compensation may be sought for medical bills that occurred prior to the person’s death, end of life expense, loss of future income, loss of support, loss of benefits, other financial losses, and some non-monetary damages.
It is important to understand that wrongful death lawsuits are subject to a statute of limitations. In California, any civil claim for wrongful death must be filed within two years of the date of death. This means that if a lawsuit is filed after the statute of limitations, it will not be heard by the court. Any next of kin who is considering filing a civil suit should seek the advice of an experienced attorney to determine how quickly they need to proceed.
