Have you lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence in Richmond Heights, MO? When you suffer the tragic and unexpected wrongful death of a family member in an accident, it’s important to know that you might be entitled to compensation.
While money won’t bring your family member back to you, it can alleviate a lot of the stress you’re experiencing right now and help you move forward. The experienced Richmond Heights wrongful death lawyers at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers are here to offer the legal guidance and support you need to maximize your recovery.
For over 15 years, families have trusted Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to help them take action after fatal accidents turned their lives upside down. Led by an award-winning Missouri trial attorney with over 21 years of experience, our law firm has successfully won millions for clients like you.
Don’t let those responsible for your loved one’s wrongful death walk away without consequences. Demand the top-dollar monetary award you deserve. Trust our top-rated legal team to fight for you. We offer a free consultation, so contact our law office in Richmond Heights today at (314) 932-1066.
How Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Helps Families With Wrongful Death Cases in Richmond Heights, MO
It’s never easy to lose someone you love in Richmond Heights, Missouri. Whether you’ve lost a spouse, a parent, or a child, it’s as if a part of you is gone, too. When someone else’s negligent or criminal acts are responsible for your loss, they must be held accountable for the suffering and devastation they’ve caused. However, even though you may have the right to seek compensation, you’ll face a lot of resistance along the way.
Hiring an experienced Richmond Heights personal injury attorney gives you the time you need to grieve and positions you to secure the compensation you deserve.
When you choose Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, you force the at-fault party and their insurance company onto a level playing field. Backed by over 21 years of experience, including time spent defending insurance companies in wrong death claims, we’re known for our client-focused representation, depth of knowledge of personal injury law, and clear-cut ability to win the toughest cases.
We’re here to handle your wrongful death claim from start to finish. We will:
- Investigate the facts surrounding your loved one’s wrongful death
- Gather evidence to support a winning legal claim for damages, such as accident reports, witness statements, property damage, medical records, and video footage
- Determine if it’s likely your loved one will be blamed for their fatal accident and, if so, identify the best way to deal with claims of shared fault
- Work closely with expert witnesses as we evaluate evidence, work to understand technical elements of your claim, and calculate what your wrongful death case is worth
- File your wrongful death claim with the local St. Louis County court clerk
- Build a legal claim that forces the defense to acknowledge the harm you’ve suffered and make a fair settlement offer
- Bring your wrongful death case to trial if the defense refuses to negotiate fairly
The financial and emotional trauma of a family member’s wrongful death cannot be understated. Their funeral, alone, can cost upwards of $10,000. At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we appreciate how important it can be to get a financial award during this difficult time in your life. We’re here to ensure you get it – and we don’t want to add to your stress.
That’s why we represent our clients on a contingent basis. Our fees are directly associated with the results we can achieve for you. We front the costs of litigation and only get reimbursed and paid attorneys’ fees when we win compensation for your wrongful death claim.
Contact our Richmond Heights wrongful death lawyers to learn more about working with our top-rated team. Your first case evaluation is free.
What Is Wrongful Death?
Revised Statutes of Missouri Section 537.080 defines wrongful death as a death resulting “from any act, conduct, occurrence, transaction, or circumstance which, if death had not ensued, would have entitled such person to recover damages in respect thereof.”
In other words, a wrongful death claim is a cause of action that can be raised when a person dies because of another person’s negligent or wrongful conduct, and they would have had the right to sue if they’d survived.
Missouri’s wrongful death statute helps to ensure that those responsible for a fatal accident can be held accountable in a court of law for the consequences of their deadly actions.
Types of Wrongful Death Claims We Handle
Missouri’s wrongful death statute is fairly broad, stating that a wrongful death claim can arise when a person’s death is the result of any act that would have allowed the decedent to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages if they’d lived.
Most often, negligence – or a failure to exercise reasonable care – is the driving force behind most wrongful death lawsuits.
At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience representing families who’ve suffered wrongful deaths of close family members because of:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Uber accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Bus accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Negligent security
- Assault
- Matters of premises liability
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Product liability
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injury
- Nursing home abuse
You’ll have one opportunity to seek compensation for the wrongful death of your loved one. Make the most of it by trusting our 21+ years of experience and passion for justice. Call our Richmond Heights law office to set a time for a free consultation now.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Missouri?
While some states require a wrongful death claim to be raised by the personal representative of the decedent’s estate, Missouri does not.
Rather, a wrongful death claim may be brought directly by surviving family members, including a:
- Spouse
- Child, both biological and adoptive
- Grandchild
- Parent
- Sibling
- Niece or nephew
If no family members survive the decedent, the court may appoint a plaintiff to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the estate. Any damages recovered would be paid to the estate and distributed pursuant to Missouri intestacy law.
Can Shared Fault Affect My Missouri Wrongful Death Settlement?
Yes. Missouri’s pure comparative fault statute applies to most civil personal injury cases, including claims for wrongful death.
As a result, the damages that can be awarded through a settlement or jury award are subject to being reduced if it’s determined that the decedent shared responsibility for their fatal accident.
For instance, you could expect to recover half of the value of your wrongful death claim if your spouse, who recently died in a Richmond Heights car accident, was assigned half of the blame for the fatal crash.
What Types of Damages Can Be Recovered Through a Wrongful Death Claim?
Since wrongful death claims are designed to help families cope with the consequences of losing a loved one unexpectedly, Missouri allows the following damages to be awarded:
- Lost financial support, including lost wages, income, and benefits
- Medical expenses
- Funeral expenses
- The value of services, companionship, comfort, guidance, instruction, training, and support
- Loss of consortium
Damages for the decedent’s pain and suffering and economic losses suffered prior to their death can also be sought through a wrongful death lawsuit, but only if the decedent survived their injuries for some period of time before death.
If your family’s wrongful death lawsuit goes to trial, the defendant can also be forced to pay punitive damages if a jury decides that their conduct was malicious or grossly negligent.
How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Missouri?
The state of Missouri applies a three-year statute of limitations to wrongful death lawsuits. So, you’ll typically have three years from the date of your family member’s death to formally seek damages from a negligent motorist, the manufacturer of a defective product, a healthcare provider, an insurance company, or another liable party.
Once the statute of limitations expires, you will no longer reserve the right to demand financial accountability for the considerable damages you’ve suffered.
Arrange a Free Case Review With an Experienced Richmond Heights Wrongful Death Lawyer
Contact Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for help if you’ve recently suffered the wrongful death of a family member in a Richmond Heights, MO, accident. You deserve compensation, and our Richmond Heights wrongful death lawyers can help you assert a powerful legal claim in pursuit of a top-dollar recovery.
Our clients benefit from a team with 21+ years of legal experience – including time spent defending insurance companies – and a clearly defined ability to win life-changing case results. Our passionate, reliable legal representation is not only what you need in your life right now; it’s what you deserve.
Your first case evaluation will be free, so call our Richmond Heights law office today.
