St. Louis Wrongful Death Lawyers

Wrongful Death Claims in Missouri

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, a St. Louis wrongful death 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. A St. Louis wrongful death lawyer at Schultz Legal Group will assist you through these trying times. Our lawyers have been recognized as Top 100 trial lawyers in Missouri for handling fatal injury claims. We have the experience and compassion to help you through this process.

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:

1. Spouse, children (natural or adopted, legitimate or illegitimate), parents (natural or adoptive;
2. Siblings and their descendants; and
3. 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:

1. Economic Loss (financial aid expected to be received from the decedent, medical bills associated with treatment prior to the death, etc.);
2. 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
3. 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.

Lawyers Who Care About Your Family

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.

You have to realize that our personal injury attorneys have lost loved ones and understand that this is a very difficult time. The last thing you want to do is be tied up in litigation or dealing with defense lawyers or insurance claims adjusters whose only interest is minimizing your claim. You can expect an insurance claims adjuster to ask questions like "what is a life really worth in dollars." This is totally inappropriate and borderline harassment...yet we have had clients who claim they were treated that way before making the call to our offices for representation from a St. Louis wrongful death lawyer.

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.

St. Louis, Missouri Wrongful Death Attorney

Have you lost a loved one due to wrongful death in Missouri? Contact a St. Louis Wrongful Death Attorney at Schultz Legal Group and get our experienced personal injury lawyers on your side! Our lawyers are available anytime at (314) 732-1401, 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 .