There are few things as traumatizing and life-altering as losing a loved one. Grief and loss can feel completely overwhelming, even in cases of natural death. However, such anguish intensifies when you know that someone else’s recklessness or negligence led to your loved one’s untimely demise.
Someone dear to you was taken before their time. Although nothing can bring back the person you lost, it is possible to receive justice and helpful compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
When an individual’s or company’s gross negligence or reckless actions result in such a devastating and permanent loss, we at OnderLaw firmly believe that those responsible should be held fully accountable.
With the help of a skilled and experienced St. Louis wrongful death lawyer, you can ensure that those responsible will pay the maximum possible amount for the suffering they have caused you and your family.
When you’re grieving over a tragic and senseless loss, you should not have to also engage in a lengthy and complicated legal process to get justice. The St. Louis personal injury team at OnderLaw has the resources, experience, and above all, the compassion to fight on your behalf and make sure you receive the maximum possible compensation for your suffering.
To schedule a completely free and confidential legal consultation where we can discuss all of your possible options and the details of your case, call us today or use our website to reach out to us online.
Even without considering legal action, those left behind after a wrongful death experience a paralyzing array of difficult emotions and responsibilities. Depression, anger, and severe stress are common.
Funeral arrangements, financial reorganization, and discussion with insurance companies and law enforcement can quickly drain your energy and your time. To many families, the thought of the additional challenge of filing a lawsuit sounds overwhelming, leading them to the decision to avoid pursuing legal action entirely.
With an experienced and trial-tested wrongful death attorney on your side, you can leave the exhausting and complicated legal hurdles of filing a wrongful death claim to the professionals while you focus on recovery and healing.
The overriding principles that OnderLaw pledges to all its clients are honesty and compassion. Our extensive and highly-trained legal team will work tirelessly on your behalf to secure concrete evidence, records, witness accounts, and expert testimony to give your case the solid footing it will need to succeed in court.
Finally, the knowledge, connections, and capabilities of a seasoned wrongful death lawyer will maximize your chances of winning your case in court. They will also be able to ensure that when you do win a favorable verdict, you and your family will receive the maximum possible compensation for the loss you’ve suffered because of your loved one’s wrongful death.
At OnderLaw, we see the relationships we have with our clients as much more than the cold, impersonal business transaction that so many other law firms treat it as. While we take our jobs as advocates and legal counselors seriously, we also hold to a high standard our responsibilities as friends and counselors.
We pledge to listen with compassion, earn your trust, and fight for you as if you were a member of our own family. For hundreds of clients, we have successfully done the legal heavy lifting of taking on and winning the case, leaving our clients to focus on their well-being.
As far as our record goes, the OnderLaw reputation speaks for itself. In the two decades of our firm’s history, we have won dozens of awards, handled complex multi-district litigation cases in states all over the country, and secured over $3.5 billion on behalf of those we have represented.
Our team has also been featured throughout publications such as the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune. But perhaps most importantly, we pride ourselves in our victories for our clients dealing with a large variety of very different wrongful death cases.
Wrongful death is a broad category of law and can refer to a wide variety of incidents, causes, circumstances, and responsible parties. In some cases, a single individual is at fault, such as a fatal accident caused by a drunk driver.
In other situations, such as with defective pharmaceuticals or consumer products, litigation may be required against entire companies. The following is just a small sample of wrongful death situations that we have experience handling:
Sadly, fatal injuries caused by the negligence of others are possible in almost every aspect of daily life. Luckily, our award-winning legal team has the experience and resources to handle the specifics of whatever situation the wrongful death occurred in.
We are fully prepared to take on even the largest and most imposing companies for our clients and secure the compensation that they so justly deserve for their loss.
The families and loved ones of those departed often have many important questions while they decide whether or not to file a wrongful death suit. Although the best way to have all of your important questions answered is to call and schedule a free consultation, the following are a few of the most frequently asked questions and their answers:
The damages caused by wrongful deaths are markedly different from the possible damages in personal injury lawsuits. The following are just a few examples of damages that those filing a wrongful death suit can receive compensation for:
According to Missouri statute 537.100, a statute of limitations of three years applies to all wrongful death cases. What this means is that if you do not file a wrongful death petition with the courts within three years of the deceased individual’s passing, you will not be able to file a claim at all.
Because of this small window of time, and also because witness memory fades quickly and crucial evidence can disappear, you should retain legal counsel as soon as possible after your loved one’s death.
The state of Missouri separates three classes of people who can bring forth a lawsuit alleging wrongful death. Group 1 includes the immediate family such as the spouse, parents, children, and grandchildren (if no children are still alive).
If the deceased has no family matching the criteria of Group 1, Group 2 members can file a claim. Group 2 includes the deceased’s siblings or (if they are deceased) the descendants of those siblings.
Finally, if no one exists from group 1 or 2, the court may appoint a “plaintiff ad litem.” A plaintiff ad litem is someone appointed by the relevant court at the request of individuals who have heirs of the deceased.
It is important to note that only one wrongful death action can be filed for the deceased individual. There can be no “competing” claims among groups or members of a group.
The most common grounds for wrongful death in St. Louis are vehicular accidents, accidental poisonings, slip-and-fall deaths, and homicides.
There is no financial limit on the damages and compensation that can be pursued in a Missouri wrongful death claim.
Instead of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” the standard of proof for wrongful death cases in Missouri is a simple preponderance of the evidence.
If you are reeling from the shock of losing a precious member of your family in St. Louis because of negligence or reckless behavior, you can take comfort in the fact that justice is possible.
To begin the path to justice, accountability, and healing, take the first step by meeting the compassionate and dedicated St. Louis wrongful death lawyers at OnderLaw.
Call us today or reach out to us online so that in your time of grief, we can help restore your peace-of-mind.
