After losing a loved one due to another party’s negligence or willful act, your world can feel like it’s collapsing around your head. While money is likely not at the front of your mind, losing a loved one can significantly strain your finances. Recovering compensation from the liable party via a wrongful death claim with the help of a Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyer can be a key step in rebuilding your life.
At BDIW Law, we have helped countless loved ones of wrongful death victims recover the compensation they need to move forward after an accident. Our team of wrongful death lawyers understands the challenges you face and will do what we can to help. You can reach us by phone or through our website to schedule a free case evaluation today.
Why Should I Hire a Wrongful Death Attorney?
Following the death of a loved one, your focus should be on your family and dealing with your grief. The last thing you need to deal with is filing a lawsuit or an insurance claim. When you hire an Oklahoma City wrongful death lawyer, they can take over every aspect of your legal case, allowing you to deal with more important issues.
Hiring an experienced attorney will give you the best chance of recovering the money you need and deserve. Your lawyer will still consult you with all of the critical decisions, but you won’t have to worry about how to work through every step of the process.
Our Team Is Here To Assist You Every Step Of The Way.
SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYDon’t Miss the Deadline When Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If pursuing compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit after losing a loved one, you need to familiarize yourself with the statute of limitations in the state where your loved one was killed. Oklahoma typically grants family members of wrongful death victims two years to take legal action. If you don’t act within this timeframe, you will likely be barred from claiming damages.
Of course, you also need to understand that the statute of limitations is not set in stone. Various circumstances can alter the amount of time you have to file your lawsuit. The details of your case could either extend or further restrict the amount of time you have to sue the at-fault party.
When you hire a wrongful death attorney in Oklahoma City, they can help you determine how long you have to take legal action and ensure that you meet all applicable deadlines.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer?
A common concern when considering hiring an attorney is the cost. However, this should never stop you from retaining the services of a wrongful death lawyer. These attorneys, like other personal injury lawyers, work on a contingency fee basis.
This means that you will not be charged a fee for retaining their services. Nor will you be faced with a high hourly rate. Instead, the only fee your attorney will recover will come at the end of your case in the form of a fixed percentage of the compensation you receive from the liable party.
Damages You Can Collect Following the Death of a Loved One
Following the loss of a loved one due to the actions or inaction of another party, you will likely be eligible to collect a wide variety of damages. The specific damages you are able to receive will depend on the details of your case.
Economic Damages
The simplest damages you can recover after the wrongful death of a loved one are economic damages. This category includes all the losses you suffered that were monetary in nature. Among the most commonly available economic damages in a wrongful death case are:
- Lost income your loved one would have earned over a lifetime
- Medical expenses for treatment your loved one received before they passed
- Property damage
- Funeral Costs
- Burial Expenses
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are far more complex because they compensate the loved ones of wrongful death victims for losses that do not come with a price tag. Any losses not covered by economic damages fall into this category. Among the most commonly available non-economic damages in a wrongful death case are:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Decreased quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
Punitive Damages
These damages are vastly different from the compensatory damages reviewed above. Rather than compensating the victims of wrongful death for the losses they endured, punitive damages are used as a means of punishing the at-fault party for their actions or inaction.
Don’t Talk to the Insurance Company Until You Talk with a Lawyer
If you are dealing with an insurance company after the death of a loved one, you need to understand that you and the insurer are not on the same team. The insurer’s focus is on protecting their profit margins, not the victims filing claims. These companies will do everything they can to deny or devalue your wrongful death claim.
To protect yourself from the tactics used by these companies, the best action you can take is to decline to speak to an insurance adjuster until you have retained legal counsel. Once you have hired a lawyer, they will take over all direct communication with the insurer, blocking them from attempting to use their tricks to avoid paying the full value of your claim.
How Do You File a Wrongful Death Claim in Oklahoma City?
You’ve read this far, and now you know you need to take action to file a claim. What should you do? Under Oklahoma Statute 12.1053, you can file a claim for a wrongful act if a family member was killed as a result of intentional conduct, negligent action, or reckless behavior.
To file a claim, we highly encourage you to speak to an experienced wrongful death attorney, one who has the ability to help you navigate the most complicated areas of the law. Our team can work closely with you to prove you have a case. We will:
- Discuss what occurred with you
- Provide you with clear information about your rights to file a claim
- If you should file a claim, we can handle the entire legal process for you, discussing it with the insurance company and going to court when needed
- Provide accurate, fair, and non-exaggerated information about what type of compensation you may be owed
- Help you through this financially difficult time so you can focus on the healing process
We do not recommend filing a claim for wrongful death without seeking your own legal advice. Insurance companies will work aggressively to settle for far less than you’re owed.
Schedule Your Free Case Evaluation with a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Oklahoma City Today
After losing a loved one in an avoidable accident, your best path to recovering the compensation you need to cover the damage to the financial health of your family is through hiring an experienced attorney. At BDIW Law, our Oklahoma City wrongful death attorneys can help you hold the liable party accountable.
Give us a call or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case review with a member of our legal team.
