Gulfport Wrongful Death Attorney

Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligent or intentional actions creates devastating emotional and financial hardship that no amount of money can truly remedy. Still, your family deserves justice and accountability. Call Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC at (228) 872-8752 for a free consultation with a Gulfport wrongful death lawyer who can pursue maximum compensation while you focus on healing and remembrance.

Why Choose Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC for Your Family’s Case?

Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC has over 10 years of experience helping Gulfport families who have suffered the loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligent or willful act. In that time, we have secured millions on behalf of our deserving clients, including a $1.150 million settlement for a wrongful death claim involving a commercial motor vehicle.

We also consistently receive five-star reviews and client testimonials, such as this one:

“…Todd is an amazing attorney. He always kept me updated, communicated clearly, and made sure I understood every step of the process. He’s professional, dependable, and truly cares about his clients. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a dedicated and trustworthy attorney.” – Vincent Hoang

We’ve built our reputation by taking on the most challenging cases that other firms turn away. Quick, inadequate settlement offers and unfair agreements never satisfy us when our clients deserve full justice and compensation. Insurance companies throughout Mississippi recognize our track record and understand that we refuse to back down from aggressive litigation when necessary.

Our team’s experience, knowledge, and results attest to our dedication to seeking the maximum compensation available under Mississippi law for your family after the tragic loss of a loved one.

Fatal Accidents on the Gulf Coast: Cases We Handle

The Mississippi Gulf Coast presents unique hazards that contribute to preventable deaths across our communities, from dangerous highways to industrial worksites and recreational waterways. Our wrongful death attorney team has successfully represented families who lost loved ones in a wide variety of fatal accidents.

We understand the specific challenges these cases present and know how to build compelling claims to hold negligent parties accountable:

• Motor vehicle accidents – Fatal crashes may involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles. These collisions are commonly caused by speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, or reckless behavior.
• Trucking accidents – Collisions with 18-wheelers and commercial trucks often turn deadly. Our wrongful death lawyers pursue claims against negligent drivers and trucking companies when they are vicariously liable, allowing us to access larger insurance policies for maximum recovery.
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents – Fatalities can occur when negligent motorists hit people walking or cycling due to inattention, speeding, or failure to yield.
• Maritime and offshore accidents – Wrongful deaths may occur on vessels, fishing boats, oil rigs, and platforms. These accidents often happen due to equipment failures, inadequate safety protocols, or employer negligence.
• Workplace fatalities – On-the-job deaths can happen anywhere, including construction sites, industrial facilities, refineries, and shipping operations. Unsafe conditions, inadequate training, or safety violations often lead to workplace fatalities.
• Medical malpractice – Negligent healthcare professionals and facilities can cause preventable malpractice deaths. These fatalities typically result from surgical errors, misdiagnosis, medication mistakes, birth injuries, or nursing home neglect.
• Premises liability – Fatal injuries on dangerous properties fall under premises liability. These claims include slip and falls, drownings, fires, structural collapses, and inadequate security leading to violent crimes.
• Defective products – Deaths caused by faulty vehicles, dangerous drugs, defective medical devices, or other consumer products with design or manufacturing flaws can lead to wrongful death lawsuits.

Our firm’s deep familiarity with Gulf Coast industries, local hazards, and Mississippi law positions us to investigate these tragedies thoroughly and identify all responsible parties. We work with accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, and industry specialists to build strong cases that demonstrate how negligence caused your loved one’s death.

What Legally Defines “Wrongful Death” in Mississippi?

Mississippi law establishes that wrongful death occurs when a person dies because of someone’s wrongful, negligent, or intentional act or failure to act. A wrongful death claim may be warranted if the victim would have been able to pursue a personal injury claim had they survived. The statute creates a legal remedy for families who lose loved ones because of another person’s or entity’s negligence or intentional conduct.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Mississippi?

Mississippi law designates specific family members who have legal standing to bring wrongful death actions on behalf of the deceased and surviving relatives, which includes:

• Personal representative of the estate
• Surviving spouse
• Surviving parents
• Surviving children
• Surviving siblings

While any of these surviving family members can join the lawsuit, only one wrongful death action can be filed per deceased individual. The financial compensation recovered is distributed among eligible beneficiaries according to Mississippi law. The Gulfport personal injury attorneys at Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC help families navigate these requirements to ensure the proper party files the claim and all eligible relatives receive their rightful share of any settlement or verdict.

Understanding Your Compensation: What Is Your Claim Worth?

Calculating the value of a wrongful death claim involves assessing both economic losses and the immeasurable impact of losing someone you love. Mississippi law permits recovery for damages the deceased would have claimed if they survived, plus losses the victim’s family suffers because of the death.

We work with economists, medical experts, and other professionals to document the full extent of your family’s losses and pursue maximum wrongful death compensation, which may include:

• Medical expenses incurred before death
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Lost wages and earnings that the deceased would have provided
• Loss of benefits, including health insurance and retirement contributions
• Lost household services and contributions
• Pain and suffering endured before death
• Loss of companionship, guidance, and protection
• Loss of parental care and nurturing for surviving children
• Mental anguish and emotional distress of surviving family members
• Punitive damages in cases involving gross negligence or intentional conduct

Insurance companies notoriously undervalue wrongful death claims by focusing only on easily quantifiable economic losses while ignoring the profound impact of losing a loved one’s presence, wisdom, and support. Our Gulfport wrongful death lawyer team combats these tactics by presenting comprehensive evidence that demonstrates the true value of your loss and the devastating void left in your family’s life.

We understand that no financial award can fully compensate for the pain, suffering, or losses you and your family have endured due to someone else’s negligence. But the state’s wrongful death laws often provide the only avenue for holding wrongdoers financially accountable. Large jury verdicts also send a powerful message that there are real consequences for those whose reckless actions disregard others’ safety.

How Long Do You Have to File a Claim?

In most cases, Mississippi’s wrongful death statute of limitations generally provides three years from the date of death to file a lawsuit. If the wrongful death case involves medical malpractice, you only have two years to file a lawsuit. And if your loved one’s death was caused by someone’s intentional actions, such as an assault, the time limit is only a year.

However, certain circumstances can alter these deadlines. Waiting too long destroys your right to seek compensation forever, regardless of how strong your case might be.

Do You Have to Go to Court for a Wrongful Death Case?

Many wrongful death claims settle through negotiations without requiring a trial. Still, we prepare every case as if it will go before a jury. Our award-winning trial attorneys’ willingness to litigate aggressively often motivates insurance companies and defendants to offer fair settlements rather than risk substantial verdicts at trial.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Gulfport?

Grieving families shouldn’t face financial barriers when seeking justice for their loved ones who died due to someone else’s negligence. Our firm represents wrongful death clients without requiring any upfront payment or out-of-pocket expenses for legal services. We only collect our attorney fees from the compensation we successfully recover on your behalf. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.

Talk to Our Gulfport Wrongful Death Lawyers Today

Your family deserves compassionate legal representation that combines aggressive advocacy with a genuine understanding of your grief and loss. Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of your family with insultingly low settlement offers during this challenging time.

Contact Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC at (228) 872-8752 or complete our contact form for a free consultation with a wrongful death lawyer. Our team can investigate the circumstances of your loved one’s death, identify all liable parties, and fight relentlessly to demand the justice and compensation your family needs.