Lawyers Who Uncover The Truth After A Wrongful Death.

A wrongful death is the loss of life that results from someone else’s actions, whether intentional or due to negligence. The term covers many different situations, such as a car accident caused by a distracted driver, a doctor ignoring life-threatening symptoms, or a bar fight that went too far.

Each state has its own laws that cover wrongful death lawsuits. The laws specify who can file a wrongful death action, the types of losses that are eligible for compensation, and the deadline for filing a case in civil court (known as the statute of limitations), and other procedural details.

Typically, the immediate family, surviving spouse or domestic partner, or other beneficiaries of the deceased have the option of filing a wrongful death civil action.

Our law firm obtained the first decision in Ohio that recognized a domestic partner’s right to pursue claims for loss of companionship.

Each state has specific rules around this, which we can discuss with you during your initial consultation.

You will meet with an experienced wrongful death attorney who will listen to your story and discuss the legal options available to you. To investigate, it may be necessary for us to have a probate attorney open an estate for the decedent and have a family member appointed as the estate administrator. It's a quick but important step.

We will be honest with you about how the legal system works and possible avenues to explore to seek justice for the death of your loved one.

Every day, we meet with people who are picking up the pieces of their life after a tragedy. We understand, and we won't pressure you into doing anything you don't want to do at any step in the process.

Cooper Elliott offers free consultations, and we are paid only if we win your wrongful death lawsuit or settle your claim out of court. We discuss the details with you every step of the way so there are no surprises.

Connecting a dollar figure to the death of a loved one is an effort to provide for the family in a way the deceased would have wanted. It has nothing to do with the decedent's value as a person. There are certain factors that go into determining this amount, such as the age and health of the person who died, their earning capacity, and whether they had dependents who counted on them financially and emotionally.

Wrongful death settlements typically include medical expenses, funeral expenses, and the financial support the deceased would have provided had they lived.

Many wrongful death claims are settled out of court, and many settlements are confidential, which makes it difficult to find an average. For your reference, Cooper Elliott has obtained more than $350 million for clients in wrongful death settlements and lawsuits from different situations, such as car accidents, medical malpractice, inattentive childcare workers, hazing rituals, and amusement ride malfunctions. We will fight just as hard for you.

Yes, each state has its own rules specifying how long you have to file a claim. The legal term for this is statute of limitations. For example, Ohio law typically requires a wrongful death action to begin within two years.