Most of us don’t have to hire lawyers very many times in their lives, so there’s an understandable apprehension. One source of anxiety is the fear that hiring a lawyer will cost too much money. In a Toledo, Ohio wrongful death case, though, that shouldn’t be a concern. The vast majority of lawyers handling cases like these will work on a contingent-fee basis. That means that the attorney’s fee is covered through the settlement proceeds or jury award.

The benefit of this type of arrangement is that the client doesn’t have to pay the lawyer a big retainer up front and doesn’t have to cover the numerous expenses involved in wrongful death cases. Litigating cases is an expensive endeavor. Most people would never be able to come up with enough money to pay a lawyer by the hour for these time-consuming cases, let alone cover the big-ticket items such as payments to medical experts and the creation of complicated exhibits. Under a contingency fee agreement, family members who lost a loved one don’t have to be rich to get their day in court.

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.

Demonstrate the relationship

The Ohio Wrongful Death Statute is designed to benefit the survivors of the person who died as a result of the conduct of a negligent party. The more survivors who depended on the loved one for companionship, guidance, and income, the greater the value of the Ohio tragic accident death case.

For example, several years ago we represented a truck driver killed in a truck accident. He was single, had no children, no living parents, and two adult siblings with whom he had a distant relationship. Unfortunately, we settled the case for less than it would normally have been worth because there were few damages to claim as a result of the limited number of relationships.

In a more recent case, we represented the surviving parents in the tragic death of a small child. When a child dies, generally there are no significant economic damages. However, we were able to prove the intense personal loss felt by the parents and the child’s siblings. The parents wrote heart-wrenching letters that spelled out the devastating impact the loss of their child had caused. Psychologists also wrote reports that discussed the grief everyone in the family had experienced. Photos of family celebrations, holidays, sporting events, and school concerts helped tell the story of a close-knit family that would never be the same again.

Your attorney should work with you as a team to develop the best strategy for your family’s case.

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.

Eliminate bills of the decedent

An Ohio wrongful death case is brought on behalf of the estate of the deceased individual for the benefit of their heirs. Often, the decedent will have accumulated debts that are outstanding at the time of the death. The attorney’s job is to minimize the debts for which the estate would be responsible.

In one situation, a family’s loved one died with large outstanding credit card bills as well as other debt. As part of the wrongful death settlement, we allocated all of the proceeds of the settlement to the heirs of the estate, which allowed the estate to escape all of the debt.

In another situation, the decedent’s health insurance had paid for the hospital bills that were accumulated prior to death and the insurer sought reimbursement for the payments. We allocated the wrongful death proceeds to the surviving heirs which allowed the family to avoid the substantial health insurance reimbursement.

Creative and strategic planning by the attorney can help provide favorable results for the heirs of the estate.

As mentioned earlier in the book, Toledo, Ohio wrongful death cases are brought because of another party’s negligence or wrongful conduct. It might be helpful to understand a little bit about those concepts.

Just because someone dies doesn’t mean a wrongful death case can be justified. For example, if Bill trips in a grocery store over cans stacked in an aisle, causing him to hit his head and die, there won’t be a case. Under Ohio law, those cans would be deemed an open and obvious hazard that Bill should have seen, so the store wouldn’t be negligent.

If, however, a grocery store employee spilled some clear, liquid soap on an aisle and left it there for hours without cleaning it up or posting a warning sign, and Bill took the same fateful tumble, the store would be negligent.

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.