Statute of Limitations on Wrongful Death Claims in North Carolina
Under North Carolina law, you have a time limit, called the statute of limitations, to file a lawsuit for compensation over the wrongful death. In North Carolina, the statute of limitations in wrongful death claims is usually two years from the date of the family member’s passing.
Filing your lawsuit after the expiration of the statute of limitations can allow the court to permanently dismiss your wrongful death case. That means you will lose your right to seek any compensation.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death
Common causes of wrongful death in Greensboro and throughout NC include:
- Car accidents – Although advances in safety technology have reduced the risk of death in car accidents, violent car crashes still have the potential to inflict fatal injuries on the driver or a passenger. You and your family may have a wrongful death claim when you lose a loved one in a car accident caused by another motorist.
- Truck accidents – The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks create a substantial risk of serious, life-threatening injuries for the occupants of other vehicles who are involved in a truck accident. Truck drivers and trucking companies that engage in negligent or reckless behavior that causes a fatal truck accident should be held accountable for a wrongful death claim.
- Motorcycle accidents – Motorcycle riders lack the protection of modern vehicle safety features such as seatbelts and airbags. As a result, riders face a significant risk of fatal injury in the event of a collision or other accident. You and your family may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death action when your loved one is killed in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t their fault.
- Bicycle accidents – Bicycle riders must often ride on streets with motorists who fail to properly share the roads with them. Bicycle riders can suffer life-threatening injuries in collisions caused by negligent drivers. You and your family deserve to hold careless drivers accountable for causing the death of your loved one in a bicycle accident.
- Pedestrian accidents – Pedestrians can be killed by motorists who fail to stop and yield at intersections and crosswalks or who drive through pedestrian areas at reckless and unsafe speeds. Careless drivers should be held accountable through wrongful death actions when a pedestrian accident leads to the tragic loss of your loved one.
- Slip and fall accidents – Slip and fall accidents are often minor events that cause bumps and bruises. However, these accidents can cause life-threatening injuries, when a person suffers a slip and fall accident in a dangerous location such as steep stairs. A wrongful death action can hold property or business owners accountable when a slip and fall accident leads to your loved one’s death.
- Dangerous and defective products – Manufacturers and retailers of products have an obligation to ensure their products can be used safely for their intended purposes. When consumers are killed by dangerous or defective products, a wrongful death action can help families hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for compensation and some measure of justice.
- Workplace accidents – Going to work should not entail the risk of death, even for workers in dangerous occupations. When your surviving family members have a loved one who is killed on the job in Greensboro or anywhere in North Carolina, your family may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim. You could hold a person or company responsible for your loved one’s passing. You could also seek death benefits from your loved one’s employer pursuant to the workers’ compensation system.
Talk to our Experienced Greensboro Wrongful Death Attorney Today
If your loved one’s death was caused by the wrongful acts of another party, you deserve to hold that party accountable. A wrongful death claim could provide you and your family with the financial compensation and justice that you and your loved one deserve.
You don’t have to pursue recovery for your loved one alone. Contact the experts at Ward Black Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation by phone, in person, or online. Talk with one of our knowledgeable, compassionate Greenboro wrongful death lawyers about your legal rights and options.