Leaders in Personal Injury Wrongful Death

Wrongful Death Attorneys in Raleigh

Serving Families Across North Carolina After Preventable Loss

No amount of money can compensate families for the pain of losing a loved one, but Edwards Kirby is committed to helping surviving family members hold those at fault fully accountable. Though wrongful death lawsuits can be emotionally turbulent and trying matters, our experienced team of attorneys can help you overcome the legal obstacles that stand in the way of justice.

Even with our successful history litigating wrongful death actions, every new case is humbling and inspiring. We know our clients count on our experience, expertise, and determination to see them through difficult times – and we’re passionate about obtaining the outcomes they deserve.

Why Is Edwards Kirby the Right Choice?

Over 170 Years of Collective Experience
Hundreds of Millions Recovered for Clients, Record-Setting Results
Led By Two Inner Circle of Advocates Members (Top 100 Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Nationally)
Compassionate Legal Team, Free & Confidential Consultations

For a free review of your claim, call (919) 335-7005 or contact us online.

Wrongful Death Lawsuits in North Carolina

Wrongful death claims are civil legal actions that seek financial responsibility against parties who caused someone’s death by their negligent or wrongful acts. Unlike criminal cases, wrongful death actions do not require Plaintiffs (the party bringing a suit) to prove a Defendant is guilty of a crime. Instead, they concern only whether a defendant was more likely than not (rather than beyond a reasonable doubt) responsible for causing the loved one’s death.

In North Carolina, wrongful death claims consist of a few key elements. Generally, this means proving:

The defendant was responsible, in part or in whole, for the victim’s death;
Negligence or liability on the part of the defendant (i.e. breach of duty);
The victim’s death was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions;
Surviving family members suffered actual damages as a result.

Every wrongful death claim is unique, and each case can entail endless challenges – from multiple liable parties and complex medical concepts (such as in the case of medical malpractice) to disputed liability, vicarious or several liability, and more. Edwards Kirby can help families navigate the legal hurdles to proving fault and liability in wrongful death claims.

Tractor-Trailer Wreck $2.7 Million
Tanker Truck Wreck $9.5 Million
Drunken Driving Wrongful Death $8.6 Million
Lifeguard Electrocution $6 Million
Pavement Drop-Off Crash $2.3 Million

Focused on Our Clients

I immediately knew they were the right people to represent us.
“When I met them, I immediately knew they were the right people to represent us – that they truly cared.”
Got me the maximum payout I could have received through the person at fault's insurance.
“Very thorough and kept me updated the entire time, allowing me to solely concentrate on recovery, without having to stress about what would happen with my case.”
- V
Thank you for your work, your knowledge, and your professionalism!
“However things turn out in the end, we trust that you have represented our daughter fully & completely!”
- J. L.

Recoverable Damages in Wrongful Death Cases

In legal terminology, financial compensation awarded to victims in successful wrongful death claims is known as damages. When found liable for the preventable death of a victim, defendants are financially responsible for paying victims for their damages. In wrongful death cases, these damages include both the financial losses arising from a family member’s death, as well as the non-economic damages incurred by victims and grieving family members, which are more difficult to translate into monetary sums.

North Carolina’s Wrongful Death Statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-18-2) outlines damages families can recover for the preventable death of their loved ones. The law combines two traditional parts of a wrongful death case:

Survival action, which is the claim the victim possessed prior to their passing (i.e. pre-death medical expenses); and
Wrongful death action, which is brought on behalf of the victim’s family for damages they suffered as a result of their loved one’s death.

In general, wrongful death suits can provide compensation for:

Medical expenses incurred prior to a victim’s death
Loss of income prior to death
Lost income a victim would have earned
Funeral and burial expenses
Physical pain and suffering endured by the victim before their passing
Loss of emotional support, services, care, companionship, and guidance

Our Recent Wrongful Death Cases:

$9.45M settlement over a deadly tanker truck wreck on I-95.
$8.6M settlement against an intoxicated driver who drove the wrong way on a highway.
$6M settlement for the family of a young lifeguard electrocuted as a result of electrical wiring failures and a short in a pool pump motor.
$2.7M settlement for the family of a father killed in a tractor-trailer wreck on a N.C. Highway.
$1.2M settlement for the family of a police shooting victim.

Who Can Sue for Wrongful Death in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, wrongful death lawsuits are brought by a personal representative of the victim, on behalf of beneficiaries.

Personal Representative: If the victim had a will, the personal representative would be the executor. If no will was left, the person who would qualify as the estate administrator would be the personal representative. If no executor or administrator wants to serve as a personal representative, a court-appointed public administrator will serve.

Beneficiaries: Though specific parties must “bring” a wrongful death claim in North Carolina, the beneficiaries of a lawsuit include any persons who would be entitled to a victim’s estate under the North Carolina Intestate Succession Act (the law which governs how estates are distributed when a decedent did not have a will).

Examples of individuals who may be entitled to wrongful death damages include:

Spouses
Children
Parents
Grandparents
Other beneficiaries

What Is The Statute of Limitations?

In most cases, a wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within two years of the victim’s death. However, there are circumstances which can shorten the time in which a lawsuit much be filed.

Because statutes of limitations can vary depending on the unique facts of a case, and because filing a timely claim preserves a family’s right to recover damages, it is strongly encouraged that plaintiffs with potential claims seek assistance from experienced attorneys to assess the merits of their case as soon as possible.

At Edwards Kirby, we provide free and confidential consultations during which we can review your case and discuss the applicable statute of limitations.

How is Liability Determined?

How liability is determined in a wrongful death action will vary from case to case. As highly fact-specific legal claims, wrongful death suits require in-depth evaluations of the circumstances surrounding a victim’s death, the actions of potentially at-fault parties, specific rules, standards, or regulations that may apply to the situation, and numerous other particularities and laws.

At Edwards Kirby, our legal team has secured record-setting results and millions in compensation for families in a range of wrongful death cases, and can help you understand liability in relation to your potential case during a consultation. We handle a range of cases, including those involving:

Have questions about a potential case and how our award-winning trial lawyers can help you? Edwards Kirby is available to take your call. We proudly serve clients throughout Raleigh and the state of North Carolina.

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