wrongful death lawyers

Losing a loved one is one of the toughest experiences we all go through. Even more painful is the death of a loved one due to the negligence or carelessness of another person, company, or agency. You may feel like you have nowhere to turn, but you do.

At Paulozzi LPA Injury Lawyers, our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to help you through this difficult time. We want to make sure you and your family get the compensation you deserve. When you need a Cleveland wrongful death attorney, call us so we can get to work.

Common Causes Of Wrongful Death

There are various ways in which wrongful death cases can arise, but they all have to do with the negligence of another person, company, or agency causing a person to lose their life. These cases are brought by surviving family members or the estate of the deceased.

You should always speak with a qualified attorney before making any decisions regarding your case. Although this is not a complete list, here are some of the common causes of wrongful death cases:

  • Vehicle Accidents: There are many ways that a driver’s negligence can cause fatalities. Especially dangerous are impaired drivers, those who drive while distracted, and those who disregard the speed limit.
  • Defective Products: When you check the government recall website, you will see that many faulty products make it to the market. These products can be incredibly dangerous and often have a poor design, experience an error during manufacturing, or are incorrectly labeled.
  • Workplace Accidents: Employers are responsible for providing proper training and equipment for their workers. It is their duty to ensure everyone has a safe working environment. When an employer is negligent in their duties, they should be held accountable.
  • Medical Mistakes: The third leading cause of death in the United States is medical mistakes. These happen in a variety of ways when healthcare providers are negligent. Medical mistakes can include: medication errors, surgical errors, misdiagnosis, infections, delayed treatment, and more.
  • Law Enforcement: There are times when law enforcement and corrections personnel use more force than necessary. This can cause fatalities. These offenders need to be held accountable.
  • Nursing Home Abuse: Elder abuse is vastly underreported in the United States and is rampant in many nursing homes. It is abhorrent. The elderly are very vulnerable and should be protected.

Moving Forward From Here

Our team will work diligently to investigate what happened, so we can secure the compensation you deserve. This can include:

  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • Loss of income and benefits of the deceased
  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Loss of companionship damages
  • Punitive damages against those responsible

When you need a Cleveland wrongful death attorney, you can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 888-710-0040.

Does wrongful death only apply to intentional acts that kill someone?

No, wrongful death claims are not just for intentional acts that kill someone, though they can certainly be filed in those cases. Wrongful death cases can also be filed when someone is killed due to the careless or negligent actions of another individual, company, or entity and it is not intentional. Some examples of this can include:

  • Someone you love is riding their bike or walking across the crosswalk and are stuck by a vehicle, resulting in their death. Although this may not have been intentional, it is still a wrongful death.
  • If someone is engaging in a criminal activity and kills someone unintentionally, even if it is unrelated to the criminal act.

Someone killed my relative, but they were found not guilty of any criminal charges. Can I still file a wrongful death lawsuit against them?

One common cause of wrongful death lawsuits is a person being killed during the commission of a crime. In many wrongful death cases, someone is charged with murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide in the case. They are not always found guilty of a crime.

However, you can still file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person you believe is responsible for the death of a loved one. You should always speak with a Cleveland wrongful death attorney about your case. Wrongful death lawsuits are civil matters, not criminal. Perhaps the most famous example of a successful wrongful death lawsuit is the one brought against OJ Simpson on behalf of Ron Goldman. OJ Simpson was acquitted of Goldman’s murder but was found liable for his death in the civil wrongful death lawsuit.

Can I file a wrongful death claim for my deceased friend?

Under Ohio law, the only people who have the standing to bring a wrongful death lawsuit are a person’s:

  • Spouse
  • Children, including adopted children
  • Surviving parents

A friend, no matter how close, cannot bring a wrongful death lawsuit. We encourage you to seek out any living relatives of the deceased.

Is the statute of limitations two years or ten years for an Ohio wrongful death lawsuit?

Section 2125 of the Ohio Revised Code sets a two-year statute of limitations for most wrongful death claims. However, there are certain cases where this can be extended to 10 years after a person’s death. This can happen when the death involved a dangerous or defective product. The ten-year limit for these cases usually starts from the date the deceased first purchased or last used the product in question.

Will people think I’m just trying to benefit from my loved one’s death?

If you believe another person’s negligence caused the death of a loved one, do not hesitate to hire a Cleveland wrongful death lawyer to help you. You need to look out for what is best for your family. You may be eligible for:

  • Loss of society, companionship, consortium, guidance, counsel, training, instruction, and education of the deceased
  • Loss of support from the earning capacity of the deceased
  • Loss of services of the deceased
  • Loss of prospective inheritance from the deceased
  • Mental anguish incurred by the surviving spouse, children, or parents
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