PROTECTING THE LEGAL INTERESTS OF INJURED HAWAII RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SINCE 1973

Compassionate Legal Assistance For Honolulu Wrongful Death Claims

After a fatal accident, surviving family members face overwhelming burdens — with grief and loss at the top of the list. Other urgent challenges can seem like just too much to bear: funeral and burial decisions, emergency care and medical bills, loss of income, probate issues, and readjustment of family responsibilities and routines.

Who Can File A Wrongful Death Lawsuit In Hawaii?

To file a wrongful death claim, you must have legal standing. In Hawaii, the following people have the legal standing to file a wrongful death action:

  • The surviving spouse
  • A reciprocal beneficiary (domestic partner)
  • The decedent’s children
  • The decedent’s parents
  • Anyone financially dependent on the deceased

Finally, the deceased’s personal representative can file a wrongful death action on behalf of the estate to recover losses tied to the deceased’s final medical expenses, funeral and burial, or cremation.

What Kind Of Compensation Can You Receive In A Hawaii Wrongful Death Action?

The representative of the deceased’s estate can file for damages related to the victim’s medical care and their funeral expenses. Only those damages become part of the deceased’s estate.

Family members can seek both economic and noneconomic losses. Economic losses include the lost wages or other financial support the deceased would have provided if they had lived, while noneconomic losses include loss of companionship and protection and loss of the deceased’s love and affection.

Who Can Be Held Liable In A Hawaii Wrongful Death Claim?

You can hold any responsible party liable in a wrongful death action, whether they were partially or solely responsible for your loved one’s death. Any death caused by negligence, recklessness or a deliberately wrongful act has the potential to be a wrongful death claim.

It is important to note that a wrongful death claim is a civil action, not a criminal case. That means that the responsible party does not have to be criminally liable for a wrongful death to occur – and many are not, often because their negligence does not rise to a criminal level. If you are unsure if you have a viable wrongful death claim, it is important to seek legal advice from our wrongful death lawyers right away.

Helping Suffering Families After A Wrongful Death

At the Honolulu law firm of Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, our lawyers understand the immediate and long-term losses family members suffer after a catastrophic or fatal accident. Family members come to our law office looking for more than help with these challenges. They also have a burning need for answers to why and how their loved one was killed — who is ultimately responsible and how to prevent future tragedy for others.

Let us guide you through this difficult time. We will tend to the details of your claim so you can concentrate on healing from your loss.

Why Does A Victim’s Age And Occupation Matter?

While no one can replace what you have lost, insurance companies typically “value” the worth of a person’s life according to their financial contributions to the family. Therefore, according to their calculations, the loss of a breadwinning, primary wage earner is worth more than a mother who quit work to take care of her children, a retired grandparent or a child.

Replacing the lost wages of a breadwinner is, of course, critically important to a family that was dependent on the victim’s income. But other losses such as a person’s role in the family, the psychological trauma of survivors and the value of life itself must not be ignored. Our firm understands the magnitude of intangible losses such as pain and suffering, companionship, consortium and other noneconomic damages. We fight long and hard to ensure that families are fully compensated for the loss of support and companionship of a loved one.

Talk To Us About Your Options And Your Future

Contact one of our wrongful death attorneys by calling us locally at 808-600-3514 or by sending us an email. Your consultation is completely free, and you are under no obligation to pursue a claim after meeting with us. We will discuss your options after an accidental fatality has robbed your family of a precious loved one.

All wrongful death claims are handled on a contingency basis. This means you and your family pay nothing for our assistance until we recover for you.