Experiencing the loss of a loved one is devastating, and if their death was wrongfully caused by the negligent actions of another, these feelings can be exacerbated. At Warhawk Legal, we empathize with your pain and grief after the loss of your loved one. Our compassionate, honest, and caring team of Norman personal injury lawyers can work with you to secure financial restitution after your loss.
When ready, we encourage you to contact the Warhawk Legal team. Book your free, no-obligation case review and consultation online or call us at (405) 397-1717.
Why Norman Families Choose Warhawk Legal For Their Wrongful Death Case
Most civil litigation is emotionally taxing and often complex. This can be especially true when navigating a wrongful death claim, as you not only have to manage documents, evidence, and financial concerns, but you’re also grieving the loss of a cherished loved one.
The Warhawk Legal team is ready to help you with your wrongful death claim. Here’s how we can assist:
- Collect and Manage Evidence and Documentation: Our Norman accident attorneys can track all documents and evidence related to this wrongful death case, including medical information, bills, photos, physical evidence, and more.
- Negotiate With Insurance Companies: We can act as a go-between for you and insurance companies. We know all the usual tactics that an insurance company may use to devalue claims, so that we can fight on your behalf.
- Represent You In Court: If settlement negotiations fall through, we can represent your and your family’s interests. We never back down from a fight, especially for your compensation. Our commitment to getting clients what they deserve is reflected in the million and multi-million-dollar verdicts we receive.
Our commitment to you and your case runs deep, so we offer a contingency fee payment structure. This structure allows us to charge you only for working on your case if it is successfully concluded.
What Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Do?
A Norman wrongful death lawyer will investigate your loved one’s accident or incident to determine all possible causes and all potentially liable parties. At Warhawk Legal, we scrutinize every detail to help ensure we correctly establish causation and liability in a wrongful death action.
We then conduct discovery to uncover essential evidence to prove your claim. This may include issuing interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for admissions, notices of deposition, subpoenas, and filing necessary motions with the court to gain access to the information needed to build your case.
We will also help ensure that all your damages are included and accurately valued to determine a fair settlement of your claim. We may consult with medical and economic experts to help establish the existence of your damages and current and future value.
At Warhawk Legal, our wrongful death attorneys are excellent negotiators who work to reach a fair settlement of your claim as quickly as possible. However, if a fair settlement is not reached, your wrongful death attorney will take your case to trial and demand the full compensation you are entitled to.
Your Norman truck accident attorney will handle all requirements of pursuing your claim so you can focus on your grief and healing process.
How Much Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Cost?
At Warhawk Legal, we handle your wrongful death claim on a contingency fee basis. This means that our attorney’s fees are contingent upon our recovering compensation for you. If we don’t win for you, you pay nothing.
When we agree to represent you, we will enter into an agreement stating exactly what percentage of the total compensation we will be paid for our attorney fees. Additionally, we pay all upfront expenses of pursuing your claim, including court costs, deposition expenses, and expert witness fees. These expenses paid on your behalf will be deducted from your total compensation.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death Claims in Norman
Wrongful deaths can occur anytime another party’s negligence or wrongdoing causes another person to die. Some of the most common causes of wrongful death claims include:
- Motor vehicle accidents.
- Pedestrian accidents.
- Work-related accidents.
- Bicycle accidents.
- Defective product injuries.
- Premises liability accidents.
- Boating accidents.
- Medical malpractice.
- Criminal violence.
Determining the cause of your loved one’s death is essential to the success of your claim.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
In Oklahoma, when a person dies because of the negligence or wrongdoing of another party, a wrongful death claim may be filed by their representative. The personal representative may be appointed by the decedent’s Will or may be appointed by the court. The personal representative is often the decedent’s spouse or next of kin. They take action on behalf of the estate and surviving family members.
The decedent’s surviving spouse, children, or parents can claim compensation for their losses sustained by the death of their loved one. They can claim financial losses as well as intangible losses such as companionship and support.
What Damages Can Be Recovered with a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
A wrongful death action seeks compensation for damages sustained by the decedent’s survivors. In a successful wrongful death lawsuit, you may be able to recover damages for:
- Funeral expenses.
- Loss of future income.
- Loss of benefits such as retirement and health insurance coverage provided by the decedent.
- Grief and emotional anguish.
- Loss of companionship, support, and guidance.
A survival action is not the same as a wrongful death action. In a survival action, the damages you may recover are those suffered by the decedent before their death that were caused by the accident or incident that led to their death.
So, you may be able to recover the decedent’s medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering incurred before their death.
How Long Do I Have To File A Wrongful Death Case In Oklahoma?
As dictated by 12 OK Stat § 1053 (2022), “When the death of one is caused by the wrongful act or omission of another, the personal representative of the former may maintain an action therefor against the latter, or his or her representative if he or she is also deceased, if the former might have maintained an action, had he or she lived, against the latter, or his or her representative, for an injury for the same act or omission. The action must be commenced within two (2) years.”
So that means individuals have two years to bring their death lawsuit, similar to the standard statute of limitations.
Warhawk Legal Is Here For You
Contact us by calling (405) 397-1717 or by booking your free, no-obligation case review and consultation.