Proving A Loved One's Death Was Caused By Company Negligence

If you recently lost a spouse due to an accident while they were on the job, you are undoubtedly looking for answers as to why this tragedy occurred and whether it could have been prevented. If you suspect your spouse's employer was negligent in the way company practices were performed, leading to the death as a result, hiring a personal injury attorney to get to the bottom of the reasoning for the accident will be imperative. Here are some of the steps you will need to take to prove your spouse died due to their employer's poor work requirements.

Get Written And Verbal Statements From Employees

Ask trusted friends who worked with your spouse about details of the death and how it had happened. If possible, record these statements with the employees' consent so you can remember what was said at a later time. Written statements can also be invaluable in showing the timeline of events that had lead up to your loved one's death. This information will be analyzed by your attorney to help in showing breaches in security. 

Take Photographs Of The Area Where The Death Occurred

Ask someone who works in the area where your spouse had perished if they can take photographs of the exact location where their death had occurred. There may be clues in the area to help in proving the area was unsafe for employee usage. Getting photographs from all angles will be important in giving others a view of the surroundings and what may have been the cause of the accident.

Find Out The Exact Procedures Used Within The Company

Your attorney can request that the company provide them with a handbook and job requirements your spouse was expected to perform. This will be compared against the statements given by employees within the company to help in showing procedures were not up to par. If the procedures were not being followed as they were listed in the handbook, it will be important to find out if someone superior to your spouse had given directions other than what was written in a printed form.

Enlist Help From Doctors And The Coroner

Get written documentation pertaining to your spouse's medical condition from attending physicians and the coroner who had pronounced them as deceased. This information along with an autopsy report may be beneficial in showing the death had been caused by equipment failure, poor upkeep of the working location, or improper procedural processes per the direction of the employer. These people may be called into court to speak about the incident in depth if your attorney believes their presence can benefit your case.

For more advice on what to do when filing a wrongful death lawsuit, work with attorneys at firms like Fitzsimmons & Vervaecke Law Firm.