Stillwater Wrongful Death Attorney
Personal Injury Representation Throughout Payne County, Guthrie, Pawnee, Perry, Ponca City, and all of Oklahoma State.
It is beyond devastating to lose someone you love due to the negligent acts of other people. We offer you our sincerest condolences. It’s an unimaginable pain. While we know that no monetary amount can replace your loved one, we can help you find financial relief. Unexpectedly losing someone after an accident can put huge financial stress on your family, and that is what we can help you with. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there’s no cost to your family unless we win.
Free Legal Consultation
Oklahoma Personal Injury Guide
Get our FREE guide and start learning what steps you need to take after a serious accident.
At Murray Law Firm, we want to become a support system. Stillwater wrongful death attorney James Murray has experience with getting families the compensation they deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, so your family pays nothing unless we win. If you are looking for a reliable attorney, please call our office today for a free consultation. You will be warmly welcomed and we are confident in our abilities to help you seek financial relief.
Client Testimonial / Mary K.
“In 2014 I had been married almost 31 years when my husband passed away from an accident. I’d lost the love of my life, my rock and the person I counted most! He was in many ways my financial support system… Murray Law Firm worked over three years on my case with a 6 day trial at the conclusion… I couldn’t have been more pleased with the efforts that Murray Law Firm gave on my behalf and that of my family. They worked really hard to get us a fair settlement and will be my first choice in the future for legal matters. I can never say THANK YOU enough!”
Statute of Limitations
It is extremely important that you act in a timely manner. The insurance company knows that you are grieving. It is understandably difficult to manage a legal case such as this while you are grief-stricken. We understand the anguish you feel, but if you want to seek rightful compensation, you have to act within the statute of limitations, or time limits of the wrongful death rules. In Oklahoma, you have two years in which to file a claim or settle your case. While that may seem like a long time, it is not necessarily that long.
Read Our FREE Wrongful Death Guide
With any case, you need to do some prep work in order to successful bring your claim. If you wait one year and 364 days to contact an attorney, it is going to be next to impossible to bring a claim. There are things we need to accomplish as a team before we can bring this claim. Therefore, talking to an attorney right away will make this easier on yourself and your Stillwater wrongful death attorney.
Seeking the Damages Your Family Deserves
There are steps that need to happen before you can bring your claim. The first step is to find the right attorney. You don’t want an attorney who you feel uncomfortable with or feel that you cannot communicate with. Most attorneys should offer a free consultation for wrongful death claims. Utilize this opportunity to interview attorneys. Sit down with them and ask them questions about their experience. See if they have had success with cases like this before and what awards they have helped people get. You should like your attorney because you will be working with them quite a bit.
Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel
The second step is determining who can actually bring the claim. In Oklahoma, you will be allowed to bring the claim for wrongful death if you are a personal representative of the passed loved one. This might have been declared in their plan for their estate. This person will represent the passed loved one as well as the family of the passed loved one. The most frequently appointed personal representatives are spouses, children, parents, and sometimes siblings. If there isn’t a personal representative, the claim may be brought by a court-appointed personal representative. It will most likely (but not always) be a family member of the passed loved one.
Types of Damages You Can Win
If there was malicious misconduct involved in the wrongful death of your loved one, you may seek punitive damages. These damages exist to punish the defendant for their gross misconduct. In instances where your loved one passed away because the defendant was drunk driving, you will be able to seek punitive damages. The purpose of this is also to discourage the defendant as well as others who may be inclined to behave in a dangerous way. No one should take part in acts that are so dangerous that they are a threat to someone else’s life.
In every wrongful death claim, you can seek compensation for two types of damages: pain and suffering that your loved one underwent after the accident before they passed away, and the benefits that your loved one would have provided for your family including lost wages. It is really hard to come to terms with the fact that your loved one may have suffered before they passed away. It is an unfortunate part of wrongful death, but it does increase the value of your claim. This part of the compensation solely has to deal with how your loved one suffered. Then on top of that compensation, you can seek damages for your own suffering. You can be reimbursed for last expenses, grief, loss of companionship, and wages they would have provided.
Frequently Asked Wrongful Death Questions
What is a wrongful death claim?
A wrongful death claim arises when someone loses their life because another party violated safety rules or a standard of care, or acted carelessly. These are emotionally difficult cases, since they involve the permanent loss of someone you love. The most important step is hiring an attorney to investigate the case, determine exactly what happened, preserve the evidence, and help guide your family through the type of wrongful death claim you may have.
How do I pick the best attorney for a wrongful death claim?
Research an attorney’s specific experience with wrongful death cases, and ask how those cases compare to your situation — whether it involved a trucking company, medical malpractice, a slip and fall, or a nursing home. Choose someone you feel comfortable with, who is easy to reach, and who won’t leave you waiting weeks for a callback. Above all, find an attorney who understands the weight of your loss and is committed to fully compensating your family, and to holding the responsible party accountable so it doesn’t happen to someone else.
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit?
Oklahoma law determines who can bring a wrongful death claim. A surviving spouse can typically bring the claim; if the deceased was an unmarried minor or adult child, the parents may bring it. When family members disagree or hire separate attorneys, it’s best to resolve that quickly rather than proceed divided — an attorney can meet with the whole family to review everyone’s rights and get everyone on the same page.
What types of damages can be recovered in an Oklahoma wrongful death case?
Oklahoma wrongful death claims can seek compensation for loss of companionship, the pain and suffering your loved one endured before passing, lost future earnings and financial support, burial and funeral expenses, and any medical bills incurred before death. Punitive damages may also be available if the death resulted from reckless or intentional conduct. It’s best to hire an attorney early, since your family may not be in a position to handle these issues immediately after such a loss, and evidence needs to be preserved quickly to support a fair settlement or verdict.
How long do I have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Oklahoma?
In Oklahoma, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is generally two years from the date of the person’s death. It is crucial to contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that all evidence is preserved and that the claim is filed within the legal time frame.
How do I determine the value of a wrongful death claim?
Case value depends on many factors: the length of the marriage or relationship, the income the deceased provided, the circumstances of the accident, how much pain and awareness the person experienced before passing, and how many family members depended on them. Medical bills incurred before death are factored in as well. Ultimately, a jury decides what a wrongful death case is worth, and an attorney’s job is to help them fully understand your family’s losses so they can determine a fair award.
How long does a wrongful death claim take to settle?
It can take years, depending on the circumstances of the death, the number of defendants and attorneys involved, and how busy the court’s docket is. Insurance companies often try to prolong these cases, hoping families will experience litigation fatigue and settle for less than they deserve. An attorney who stays vigilant about moving your case forward can often bring it to resolution faster.
Contact an Stillwater Wrongful Death Attorney
If you think you have a wrongful death claim, please call our Stillwater wrongful death attorney James Murray today for a free consultation. He will provide caring and dedicated legal support. You don’t have to suffer more than necessary. Call today to get the compensation that you and your family deserve.