St. Louis Wrongful Death Attorneys

Work with a firm with a successful track record of handling complex, high-stakes cases.There are few things in life more traumatic than unexpectedly losing a loved one. It’s even more difficult when that loss was avoidable. Adding in unexpected costs for a funeral and burial makes the wrongful death of a family member even more challenging. Because of this, the law provides for surviving family members to file a wrongful death lawsuit to recoup these and other losses.

At the Simon Law Firm, P.C., our compassionate team of St. Louis wrongful death attorneys stands ready to help your family through this devastating time and ensure you have the financial resources you need to provide for your future.

Our wrongful death attorneys can help with a wide variety of wrongful death cases, such as those involving:

Wrongful death are a specific type of personal injury lawsuit characterized by a negligent act resulting in the death of an individual. In injury cases, it’s necessary to show how one negligent act committed by the Defendant directly caused or contributed to the injury the Plaintiff suffered. In a wrongful death case, not only does a negligent act have to be proven, but it also must be proven the negligence directly caused the decedent’s fatal injuries.

In a wrongful death lawsuit, the decedent’s immediate family members have the ability to sue. There are three categories of people who have the ability to sue:

No amount of money will bring a loved one back, but it can ease the financial burden experienced following the death, helping to cover lost wages and expenses. In wrongful death claims, you can recover economic and non-economic damages.

In Missouri, there aren’t any limits on the amount of damages that can be recovered in a wrongful death lawsuit. Deaths stemming from personal injury cases, such as a car accident, will have no cap. However, claim limitations will apply if the lawsuit stems from medical malpractice. Wrongful deaths arising from medical malpractice that occurred on or after August 28, 2015, damages are capped at $700,000. Those that occurred before August 28, 2015, are capped at $500,000. These limits only apply to non-economic damages. Economic damages are not subject to a damages cap.

Wrongful death lawsuits function similarly to personal injury, but must be filed by an individual who is either a spouse or child, brother or sister, or plaintiff ad litem of the deceased. The plaintiff must prove the defendant’s wrongful or negligent actions resulted in the death or fatal injuries.

Your wrongful death attorney will file the claim for you, presenting all necessary facts and evidence to negotiate a settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, your case will be taken to trial.