St. Louis Wrongful Death Lawyers
Wrongful Death Claims in Missouri - Call our local personal injury hotline at (314) 448- 0934 for immediate help!
Grieving the loss of a family member who has lost his or her life because of negligence or the wrongful actions of another person is a terrible burden to bear. Helplessness, frustration and anger are all emotions a surviving family member may feel after losing a spouse, parent or child at the hands of another. Wrongful death is an area of personal injury law and includes death brought about by an auto accident, medical malpractice, defective product, nursing home abuse and many other unfortunate accidents.
If you have lost a loved one, an attorney can help. You may have been left with expenses, such as hospital bills and funeral costs, and are now facing a future without the companionship and financial support of your family member. An attorney may be able to help you recover maximum compensation for these losses, both financial and emotional.
The Missouri Wrongful Death Statute
It is important to understand that a wrongful death action is a remedy conferred strictly by statute, and as such the plaintiff's rights are limited to those specifically provided by the Missouri Wrongful Death Statute. Missouri Revised Statute, Section 537.080 (2000) sets forth ranking priorities of three classes of persons entitled to maintain a lawsuit in any wrongful death action:
- Spouse, children (natural or adopted, legitimate or illegitimate), parents (natural or adoptive;
- Siblings and their descendants; and
- Plaintiffs ad litem.
The spouse, children, and parents of the decedent are placed on equal footing, all with the highest priority of recovery. The damages that may be recovered pursuant to the Wrongful Death Statute are found in
Section 537.090. These damages include recovery for:
- Economic Loss (financial aid expected to be received from the decedent, medical bills associated with treatment prior to the death, etc.);
- Non-Economic Loss (conscious pain & suffering prior to the death, and recovery for "the reasonable value of services, consortium, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training support", etc.); and
- Funeral and burial expenses;
Unfortunately, Section 537.090 specifically statues that "damages for grief and bereavement by reason of the death shall NOT be recoverable." As you can see, the Missouri Wrongful Death Statute is extremely strict in who is entitled to recover and the forms of damages recoverable in a death claim.
At Schultz Legal Group, you can expect the compassionate and dedicated representation of a St. Louis wrongful death lawyer who will do his utmost to help you recover from this tragic loss. Whether we can settle your claim out of court or need to follow through and argue your case in a Missouri civil court, we will do whatever it takes to help you get the best outcome possible.
Our wrongful death lawyers are dedicated to helping people throughout Missouri who have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence or recklessness. We offer a free consultation with a lawyer to discuss your particular claim, to see how we can help you.
Want to learn more about how insurance companies evaluate injury claims? Click here to get an inside look
from the perspective of the insurance claims adjuster. Simply put,
insurance adjusters have absolutely no interest in being fair to the
injury victim. There are bonuses and other incentives (paid trips,
cruises, gifts) offered to the claims adjusters who settle the most
claims for the least amount of money. Don't be victimized twice!
Contact the wrongful death attorneys at Schultz Legal Group today
and get the compensation you deserve!
Have you lost a loved one due to wrongful death in Missouri? Contact a St. Louis Wrongful Death Attorney Stephen Schultz and get the experienced lawyers at Schultz Legal Group on your side! Our lawyers are available anytime at (314) 448-0934, toll-free (866) 840-3636, or by email to discuss whether your claim implicates the Missouri Wrongful Death Statute. Don't be victimized twice, contact wrongful death lawyer Stephen Schultz today.