Wrongful Death Terms

Compensatory Damages: Compensate the plaintiff for actual dollar-value losses (e.g., medical expenses, both past and future, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, etc.)

Failure to Diagnose: Form of medical malpractice committed on behalf of a medical doctor. Has the potential to cause serious damage and death to patients who do not receive prompt and adequate medical care as needed.

General Damages: A form of compensatory damages. Cover more intangible losses, such as pain, suffering, humiliation, the loss of enjoyment of life as well as grief suffered from the loss of a loved one.

Has your loved one died as a result of the negligence or misconduct of another person? If so, contact one of our Pittsburgh Wrongful Death Attorneys today!

Inadequate Warning: Refers to injuries and death caused as a result of a product which was sold without a proper warning to the consumer.

Medical Malpractice: When a person is injured, or if death is caused, due to the negligence of a health care provider.

Negligence: A person's conduct falls below a legally recognized standard of taking reasonable care under the circumstances. May develop from carelessness or thoughtless conduct, or a failure to act when a reasonable person under the same circumstances would have acted.

Punitive Damages: Serve to punish a defendant for extreme behavior and which serve to deter others from similar conduct.

Statute of Limitations: Established legal deadline that requires a person who has suffered a serious injury to file a lawsuit within a certain time after the date of injury or lose forever his or her rights to sue for compensation.

Wrongful Death: A death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another.

Wrongful Death Statute: Statutory law that provides the means for the representative of a decedent to bring suit alleging that the decedent's death was caused by someone's willful or negligent act and to seek compensation for monetary loss suffered because of the decedent's death.

Has your loved one died as a result of the negligence or misconduct of another person? If so, contact one of our Pittsburgh Wrongful Death Attorneys today!