Wrongful Death Lawyers

Founder and managing partner Aaron Dickey has dedicated the last 20 years to help the family members of people killed by negligent acts.

Legal options are available for families who have lost a loved one, and survivors need compassionate assistance during these difficult times.

Last Updated: November 15, 2022

Fact-Checked and Legally Edited by: Attorney Aaron Dickey

TOPICS ON THIS PAGE:

What Is Wrongful Death
File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Why Dickey Law Firm?
FAQs

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What Is Wrongful Death?

A wrongful death lawsuit is a case that can be filed when a person's death was wrongfully caused by another person's (or company's) negligent or intentional actions.

Wrongful death lawsuits allow family members to demand financial compensation for the harm caused to their loved ones.

A wrongful death lawsuit is filed when death is caused by harm to a person but not their property. If your loved one's death was caused by an injury or illness because of someone else's poor decisions, you could seek financial compensation for damages.

Financial compensation for damages can include payment for:

Loved One's Pain and Suffering Before Death (survival claim)
Medical Costs (accrued before death)
Funeral and Burial Costs
Out of Pocket Expenses
Loss of Loved One's Income and Benefits
Loss of Care, Guidance, and Relationship

Why File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Two major factors can determine if our team can file a wrongful death lawsuit for you. The first is your relationship to the loved one who died.

The second is the cause of the injury or illness that caused your loved one's death.

Relationship To Loved One

In most cases, you must be an immediate or direct family member for us to file a wrongful death lawsuit. To be considered an immediate or direct family member, you generally need to be one of the following:

Surviving spouse of the deceased
Child of the deceased
The executor of the estate
Another direct blood relative

Family law is different in each state, so talk to us, and we will explain how it applies to your family.

Cause of Death

Like personal injury lawsuits, what kind of wrongful death lawsuit we file on your behalf will be based on who you allege is responsible.

The person or company ultimately held legally accountable for your loved one's death is called the negligent party. Often when people think of wrongful death lawsuits, they think of motor vehicle accidents. However, many wrongful death cases are pursued against companies that exposed the American public to dangerous chemicals or cancer-causing substances like asbestos. Here are the main types of lawsuits that are filed against companies.

Product Liability

These lawsuits are filed when a person is injured or develops a disease that leads to death after using a company's product.

For our law firm to file these lawsuits, it must be proven that the company knew that its product could cause harm that could lead to death and continued to make or sell the product anyway.

Occupational Disease

An occupational disease is when a worker in a specific industry or job develops a chronic illness leading to death.

We can hold a company responsible when the cause of that a person's disease is related to their work environment.

These work environments usually expose workers to harmful carcinogens like asbestos or benzene. These cases typically come to light when a particular occupation shows more instances of a disease or death than the general public.

If you've had a loved one lose their battle with cancer and you think it was employment-related, please contact us today (866) 696-5776

How We File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit doesn't have to be a complicated process. Our experienced attorneys are here to do the heavy lifting to get your family the financial compensation they deserve.

A wrongful death lawsuit in its most simple form is a document that states:

Your name.
The name of your deceased loved one.
The diagnosis of disease or injury that led to your loved one's death.
What caused their illness or injury.
Who you believe is responsible for the death.

Once you have filed this information, our attorneys will hold the responsible parties accountable for your loss.

Why We File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit can be the most effective (or sometimes the only way) our firm can help you receive the most financial compensation possible for the loss of your loved one.

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit also allows you to tell your loved one's story in court.

Holding these companies accountable for your loved one's death is essential. Telling their story gives the court a way to do that.

This also allows the court to award you punitive damages to punish the companies for their wrongdoing.

The only disadvantage is that a wrongful death lawsuit can take over a year to get the case set for trial.

Settlements are common when it comes to lawsuits filed against companies. Many companies actually settle on the courtroom steps as they don't want your loved one's story to be heard in public.

Why Dickey Law Firm?

Dickey Law Firm has helped thousands of families after losing a loved one through the process of filing a wrongful death lawsuit. We have experience in guiding families to receive the most financial compensation.

The verdicts and settlements for wrongful death lawsuits can vary greatly. Here are a few examples of the results our network of attorneys have been able to secure for our clients:

$12 million for family member killed in trucking accident
$10 million for a minor child killed in a train accident
$8.6 million for a plumber who died from mesothelioma
$8.4 million for a laborer who passed away from mesothelioma
$2.1 million for a veteran who is being treated for mesothelioma

Time is Limited to Start a Wrongful Death Claim

Every death claim has a time limit, and family's rights vary significantly between states. If you contact us, we will ensure your family's rights are protected before your time runs out.

Even if you believe it is too late, let us try to help. Each case is different, and our experienced attorneys will take the time to explain your family's rights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Diseases Can You File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit For?

Wrongful death lawsuits can be filed over diseases caused by a person or companies negligent or intentional actions. These diseases are caused by a company's products or work environments.

These companies would either have sold these products or put workers in harm's way while knowing the damage they could cause.

Some common examples of diseases caused by these companies are mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer (which are caused by asbestos exposure), and Leukemia and Lymphoma (which can be caused by benzene exposure.)

How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

How long you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit is based on a lot of factors. Each state has a wrongful death statute of limitations or deadline to file a lawsuit.

The starting point of the timeclock in which you have to file also changes from state to state. Because there is no one size fits all answer, we highly recommend reaching out to us.

We'll walk you through the time frame you have available based on your unique situation.

Even if you think it's too late, we recommend you call us, as there is no charge or obligation to get the information you need.

How Long Do I Have To Wait To Get Money From A Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

How long you wait to receive payment for your lawsuit can be based on the type of wrongful death lawsuit you're filing. Different forms of litigation have different time frames in which they're resolved.

The two primary outcomes of a lawsuit are a settlement, where the defendant settles outside of court, and a verdict that a court awards.

Settlements can be negotiated anytime after filing a case, but it usually takes six months to two years to resolve it against all defendants.

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