Columbus Wrongful Death Lawyer
When Negligence Takes Someone You Love, We Fight for the Justice They Deserve
Losing someone because of another person’s negligence is devastating. And when you’re still in the thick of grief, the idea of pursuing a legal claim can feel overwhelming–or even uncomfortable. Most families who call us aren’t thinking about money. They’re thinking about their loved one. They want to know what happened, they want someone to be held accountable, and they want to make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else.
At Cooper Elliott, our wrongful death attorneys in Columbus understand that. For nearly 30 years, we have helped Ohio families hold negligent individuals and institutions accountable for preventable deaths–pursuing not just financial compensation, but the kind of accountability that forces real change. We handle the legal complexity so your family can focus on grieving and healing.
If you’ve lost someone and something doesn’t feel right about what happened, we’re here to help.
Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle
Any underlying claim can involve a wrongful death if someone has died as a result of negligence. Our Columbus wrongful death lawyers represent families in cases involving:
- Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents — Vehicle accidents are among the most common causes of wrongful death in Ohio. Whether the crash involved a distracted driver, a negligent trucking company, or a defective vehicle component, we investigate thoroughly and pursue every responsible party, not just the most obvious one.
- Medical Malpractice and Nursing Home Negligence — When a doctor, hospital, or care facility’s negligence costs someone their life, the system often closes ranks to protect its own. We push through that resistance, working with medical experts to establish exactly what went wrong and hold every responsible party accountable.
- Premises Liability — Dangerous properties, inadequate security, and negligent property owners can all create conditions that lead to fatal accidents. We’ve handled cases involving bar-related deaths, security failures, and other premises liability situations where someone lost their life because a property owner failed in their duty of care.
- Civil Rights Violations — Some wrongful death cases involve the conduct of law enforcement or other government actors. These cases require a specific type of legal experience–and a willingness to go up against powerful institutions. We have both.
- Other Negligence — Wrongful death can arise from many circumstances–defective products, dog attacks, workplace accidents, and more. Whatever the cause, if negligence took someone you love, we want to hear your story.
Why Choose Cooper Elliott as Your Wrongful Death Attorney in Columbus
The most obvious wrongdoer isn’t always the only one–or even the most important one. We’ve handled cases where a driver had minimal insurance, but the investigation revealed other liable parties that changed everything. Was there a party responsible for overserving someone? Should there have been different safety measures in place? Was someone else’s failure a contributing factor? We ask those questions because the answers matter.
In our experience, families don’t call us because they want money. They call because something felt wrong about what happened, and they feel a responsibility to their loved one to find out the truth. We understand that–and we take it seriously. Every family we work with deserves to feel heard, not just represented.
Ohio’s wrongful death laws involve specific rules about who can file, what damages are available, and how the process works. There are also important distinctions between wrongful death claims and survivorship claims–two separate legal claims that can often be pursued simultaneously. We handle all of it, including the probate court process that is required in every Ohio wrongful death case, so your family never has to navigate it alone.
There are no upfront costs and no hourly billing. We cover all litigation expenses, including the cost of working with a probate attorney, which is required in Ohio wrongful death cases, and only get paid when we win. You will never receive a bill from us unless we recover compensation for your family.
Our Big Wins
$750+ Million
Recovered for Our Clients
What to Expect When You Work With Our Columbus Wrongful Death Lawyers
We’ll listen carefully to what happened and ask thoughtful questions about your loved one, the circumstances of their death, and the impact on your family. There’s no obligation and no cost. These conversations matter to us, and we don’t rush them.
Every wrongful death case in Ohio requires involvement from the probate court because the person who died is no longer able to represent themselves. We work with experienced probate attorneys in counties throughout the state to open an estate in the decedent’s name, which gives us the legal standing to pursue the case. We cover this cost as a case expense–your family doesn’t pay for it out of pocket.
We gather all relevant evidence, including medical records, accident reports, facility records, witness accounts, and any other evidence that helps establish what happened and who is responsible. We look beyond the most obvious defendant to identify every party that may have played a role.
Depending on the nature of the case, we bring in medical experts, accident reconstructionists, life care planners, economists, and other specialists to support both liability and damages. In medical and nursing home cases, we also retain experts in the relevant standard of care to establish exactly where the failure occurred.
We prepare every wrongful death case for trial from the start–developing a clear, compelling narrative that a jury will understand and connect with emotionally. That preparation changes how the defense approaches settlement.
Many wrongful death cases settle once the defense understands how thoroughly we’ve prepared. When they don’t offer fair compensation, we take it to court. Any resolution–whether through settlement or verdict–must also be approved by the probate court, which provides an additional layer of protection to make sure the outcome is fair to everyone involved.
Recognition & Results
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
Recognition for excellence in trial advocacy and client representation.
U.S. News & World Report - Tier 1
Ranked in the region for personal injury litigation.
Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Fewer than 1% of lawyers are members of this elite group of attorneys.
Contingency Fee Basis
We only get paid if you win a verdict or receive a settlement.
30 Years of Experience
Serving clients since 1995 with a track record of holding negligent attorneys accountable.
Verified Peer Ratings
Research our firm and attorneys on martindale.com and superlawyers.com.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrongful Death Cases
In Ohio, wrongful death claims are filed by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate–often the executor named in their will, or someone appointed by the probate court if there was no will. The claim is brought for the benefit of the surviving family members who qualify as beneficiaries under Ohio law, including the spouse, children, and parents of the deceased. We handle the probate process as part of taking on your case, so you don’t have to figure that out on your own.
They’re two separate legal claims that can often be pursued at the same time. A wrongful death claim compensates surviving family members for their losses–things like loss of companionship, lost financial support, and the pain of losing someone they loved. A survivorship claim is different–it belongs to the deceased person themselves and seeks compensation for what they experienced between the negligence and their death, including pain, suffering, and medical expenses. Not every case involves both, but when the facts support it, we pursue both.
In a wrongful death claim, surviving family members may be entitled to compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of services, loss of companionship, and mental anguish. Through a survivorship claim, the estate can also recover for the deceased person’s pre-death pain and suffering and related medical expenses. Every case is different, and we take the time to fully understand what your family has lost before determining potential value.
Age is a factor, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. We’ve represented families who lost elderly parents or grandparents and found meaningful ways to capture what those relationships meant and what was lost. A person in their 80s who was a doctor, a confidant, and a source of comfort and guidance–the loss of that relationship has real value, even if the economic damages look different from a case involving a younger person. We don’t let age become a reason to undervalue what your family has been through.
It depends on the underlying type of case, and the answer isn’t always straightforward. We strongly encourage families to reach out as soon as possible, both because timelines can be shorter than people expect and because evidence disappears quickly. The sooner we begin investigating, the stronger your case will be.
Testimonials
in the justice system. That means everything to us.
I was involved in a serious car accident after just having welcoming our new son into the world.
When you are at your lowest, you remember with great detail how people treat you. Sean and his team treated me and my family with nothing but compassion, grace and care.
The stress, anxiety, and fear were only mitigated by the EXTRAORDINARY passion, care, and speed this firm operates at.
A huge thank you to Sean Alto with his incredible professionalism. I never once felt that Sean and the team at Cooper Elliot had anything other than my best interest.
Thank you Cooper Elliot for being a light during a very challenging time.
Talk to a Wrongful Death Attorney
Losing someone you love because of another person’s negligence is one of the most painful experiences a family can face. You shouldn’t have to navigate what comes next alone.
Call (614) 481-6000 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation with a wrongful death lawyer in Columbus. We represent families throughout the state of Ohio.
We’ll listen, give you our honest assessment, and help you figure out the right next step for your family.