Losing a loved one due to another party’ s negligence or wrongdoing is devastating. Oklahoma law gives the survivors of a wrongful death victim the right to recover compensation for damages.
While no amount of money can bring your loved one back or truly make up for your loss, financial compensation can help ease some of the burdens caused by their death. At Warhawk Legal, our Oklahoma City wrongful death attorneys want to help you by securing maximum compensation for your loss.
Leading Causes of Wrongful Death in Oklahoma City
Any death caused by the negligence or wrongdoing of another party may give rise to a wrongful death cause of action. Some of the most common causes of wrongful death in Oklahoma City include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including commercial trucks, passenger cars, motorcycles, buses, rideshare vehicles, and Amazon, FedEx, and UPS vehicles.
- Medical malpractice. Medical mistakes, including surgical errors, birth injuries, misdiagnosis, and medication errors, cause more than 20,000 wrongful deaths in the United States annually.
- Workplace accidents. High-risk jobs can make workers more vulnerable to wrongful death. Industries like construction, timber, and factory work contribute to a significant number of wrongful deaths each year. While most employers are protected by workers’ compensation coverage, many workplace wrongful deaths are the fault of third parties, such as contractors, landowners, or manufacturers of defective products.
- Premises liability accidents, such as slips and falls, animal attacks, and other hazards caused by a landowner’s negligence, can cause a wrongful death.
- Defective products can cause wrongful death due to their design flaws, manufacturing defects, and marketing defects.
- Drowning and boating accidents caused by negligence or safety hazards can give rise to a wrongful death claim.
- Aviation accidents often result in wrongful death due to pilot error, negligent maintenance and repair, or mechanical failure.
Who Can Recover Compensation After a Wrongful Death?
Who can recover compensation depends on who survives the decedent. The decedent’s representative files the wrongful death action to recover damages for the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries may include the surviving spouse, surviving children, surviving parents, or surviving next of kin. If you think you may be entitled to recover compensation for a loved one’s death, you should promptly consult an experienced Oklahoma City wrongful death attorney to determine your rights.
Proving Liability For a Wrongful Death in Oklahoma City
While wrongful death actions can be based on intentional torts and strict liability, most are based on negligence. To prove negligence, you must establish the existence of four elements:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care.
- The defendant breached their duty of care by negligent action or inaction.
- The defendant’s breach of duty caused your accident and injuries.
- You suffered actual damages due to the defendant’s breach of duty.
While these elements may seem simple enough, they are usually heavily contested and can be challenging to prove. You need the help of an experienced Oklahoma City accident lawyer with a proven record of recovering the full compensation owed to their clients.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Lawyer From Warhawk Legal
If you have suffered the loss of a loved one due to another party’s negligence or wrongful action, you may be entitled to recover compensation.
At Warhawk Legal, we understand that you are grieving and that nothing we do can bring back your loved one. But we also know that a wrongful death can cause financial burdens that can be relieved by recovering the compensation you deserve.
Call (405) 294-1243 or visit our contact page and schedule a free consultation. We will listen to your story, answer your questions, and explain your options. If we represent you, we will work tirelessly to recover maximum compensation for you.