Find all the defendants

One of the jobs of the Toledo, Ohio tragic accident attorney is to maximize recovery for the client. In order to do that, the attorney needs to find all the potential individuals or businesses responsible for causing the death. Sometimes this is easy and obvious. If a defendant ran a red light and caused the death, it’s pretty clear who will be the target of the lawsuit. But if the driver was on the job at the time, it may be difficult to determine the business for whom the driver worked. That’s crucial information because under the doctrine of respondeat superior, the employer also may be liable for the accident.

Sometimes it’s tough to figure out who may be responsible. In a complicated and serious electrical injury case involving a construction job, we sued the employer, an electric company, the general contractor, and 10 different subcontractors to determine the responsible parties. After two years of litigation and lots of depositions we were able to get an extremely good settlement.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.

The point is that a person or entity who causes the Ohio fatal accident death has to be deemed negligent, or at fault, under the law. Someone is at fault when it is his responsibility to act or behave in a certain way, but fails to, which causes injury or death. There’s a lot of nuance to negligence law, but that’s a boiled down version of the concept.

So, one basis for a wrongful death claim is to prove negligence. The other way is to prove wrongful conduct such as an intentional act that resulted in a death. For example, if Steve punched Tony without provocation, causing Tony to fall down, hit his head, and die, Steve could be sued for causing Tony’s death. In that case, Tony’s estate would have to prove that Steve’s intentional and wrongful conduct caused Tony’s death.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.

Find the insurance coverage

Insurance coverage is essential to getting the best recovery possible in most cases. Most defendants do not have enough money or assets to adequately compensate the family members of someone killed as the result of negligence.

In one  Ohio wrongful death case, we represented three seriously injured people and the insurance company told us there was only $500,000 in coverage. After we threatened to file suit against the large corporate defendant, we were finally told that a “mistake” had been made and there actually was $2 million in coverage. Our attorneys demand to see certified copies of insurance policies and signed affidavits that the defendant does not have an “umbrella policy,” which covers claims that exceed a basic insurance policy.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.

Document economic loss

Families can suffer a huge economic loss when a loved one dies due to an Ohio fatal accident. In order to prove the amount of that loss, our office hires an economist. Most economists are university professors who look at the decedent’s income level, the income they would have earned had they lived, prior tax returns, and other economic data to determine the value of the economic loss caused by the death.

In addition to having excellent academic credentials and real-world experience, an economist also must be a superb communicator with the jury.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.

Our Toledo, Ohio wrongful death lawyers understand that no amount of money could ease the pain of losing a loved one to tragic circumstances, or losing them due to the negligence of another person.

But there are damages available to beneficiaries, should a wrongful death claim be brought about. One of those types of damages is Loss of Services.

It’s a sort of vague claim, but essentially the law allows beneficiaries to collect compensation for services the decedent provided the beneficiaries. For example, assume Betty was killed as the result of someone’s negligence. If Betty provided daycare for her daughter Leslie’s children, Leslie could seek compensation for the money it cost her to secure daycare. That’s not to say that the estate must show all the claimed lost services are attached to a specific dollar amount. The jury can determine a dollar figure for each lost service.

Call 800.637.8170 for your free copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book if you have lost a loved one due to tragic circumstances.