Lifestyle

How to Pursue a Wrongful Death Claim

Published

2 years ago

February 13, 2024

If someone you love has died because of someone else’s actions or negligence, you may be entitled to compensation via a wrongful death claim. Unfortunately, many people don’t really understand what a wrongful death claim is and aren’t especially motivated to pursue one.

How do you pursue a wrongful death claim and is it worth the time and effort?

Your First Step: Contacting a Lawyer

The first step of the process should always be contacting a wrongful death lawyer. Your lawyer is going to be your personal representative, representing your best interests, helping you understand the law, and advising you on the best course of action for your wrongful death suit. Most wrongful death lawyers are willing to offer an initial, free consultation, so there’s no real risk or downside to contacting one to determine if you have a reasonable wrongful death claim on your hands.

Upon first contact, your lawyer may inform you that this wrongful death claim isn’t worth pursuing, for one reason or another. If your claim is worth pursuing, however, they’ll help you understand the first steps of the process and provide you with instructions for how to conduct yourself from here.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

In case you aren’t familiar, a wrongful death claim is a civil claim filed against an individual or an organization that was responsible for a person’s wrongful death. Wrongful death can occur in many situations and for many reasons, but it’s usually associated with an intentionally harmful action, malpractice, or negligence.

Wrongful death claims are often (but not only) filed in the events of wrongful death on the job, car accidents, medical malpractice, and product liability issues. If a person died because of someone else’s actions or lack of actions, it could hypothetically qualify as a wrongful death.

When filing a wrongful death claim, plaintiffs seek compensation from defendants. Compensation can be awarded for:

Medical bills. If there were significant medical bills incurred as a result of this action or accident, the defendant may be responsible for reimbursing you for them. Any medical expenses associated with this particular event may be included.
Funeral expenses. The defendant may also be responsible for compensating you for funeral expenses. The amount awarded may vary depending on several variables.
Mental pain and suffering. Losing a loved one is horrific, and typically causes significant pain and suffering. While it’s hard to put a price tag on pain and suffering, most guilty defendants in wrongful death claims end up paying at least some money in compensation for this.
Loss of support and services. Compensation is also frequently awarded for loss of support and services. If you relied on this person for income, important responsibilities, or just help around the house, it needs to be acknowledged.
Loss of future earnings. Loss of future earnings is what it sounds like; it’s compensation for the earnings this person would have had were it not for the wrongful death.

Who Can Sue?

In most cases, spouses, children, and other close relatives can sue for wrongful death. However, there are some jurisdictions and some specific scenarios in which other people can sue for wrongful death as well. Talk to your lawyer to find out who can file a claim in your area.

Important Considerations

There are some important considerations you’ll need to bear in mind before beginning to pursue a wrongful death claim:

The statute of limitations. Understand that there’s a statute of limitations for wrongful death claims. The exact length of time varies from location to location, but you’ll usually only have a year to a few years before you’re no longer able to file a claim.
Evidence. If you want to prove that the defendant is responsible for the wrongful death, you’ll need evidence to do it. Your lawyer can guide you with more specific detail here, but you should do everything you can to gather and preserve evidence that shows what happened.
Proving negligence. Proving negligence can be difficult in a court of law, as you’ll have to prove four separate things: duty of care, a breach of duty, causation, and damages.
Timelines. Wrongful death claims can sometimes take a long time to pursue. It may also take some time and energy on your part. Make sure you’re prepared for this before you begin the journey.
Fees. Many wrongful death attorneys will not charge you unless you win compensation. Either way, make sure you understand the fees for which you are responsible before you enlist these professional services.

Tragedies can never be undone, but it is possible to seek justice and compensation with the help of a skilled attorney. If you’ve recently lost a loved one in an event that was attributable to someone else, it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

5 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.