Wrongful Death

Car crashes, drug overdoses, medical mistakes, and other unintentional injuries cause tens of thousands of deaths each year. These instances are almost never “accidents.” Instead, negligence, or a lack of ordinary care, causes most wrongful deaths. Fatal incidents cause almost unimaginable emotional and financial losses. Financial compensation can not possibly relieve the grief that survivors feel, but it can help them to move forward.

Our compassionate attorneys understand your pain and suffering. So, we take as much time as necessary to learn your needs and goals in a particular situation. Next, based on that information and working with you, we develop a plan of action. Then, we execute that plan and see things through to the end. All the while, we proactively communicate with you, so you are never in the dark.

What Causes Wrongful Death In Ohio?
As mentioned, wrongful death comes in many forms. Several years ago, poisonings (mostly drug overdoses) overtook car crashes and became the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Most prescription painkillers, particularly Fentanyl, are much more powerful than heroin. So, addiction is common. Once the body is addicted to painkillers, devastating consequences are usually not far away.

Overall, cars are much safer today than they were 20 years ago. Even still, car crashes still kill or seriously injure millions of American motorists each year. One of five types of driving impairment usually causes these crashes.

Alcohol: Despite a decades-long crackdown against “drunk drivers,” alcohol still causes almost a third of the fatal car crashes in Ohio. Alcohol seriously impairs motor skills and judgment ability beginning with the first drink.
Fatigue: Drowsiness and alcohol affect the brain in about the same way. Driving after 18 consecutive awake hours, which is the equivalent of a rather long day at the office, is like driving with a .05 BAC level.
Distraction: Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hand off the wheel, or mind off driving is distracted driving. That includes things like talking on a cell phone (hand-held or hands-free), eating while driving, and arguing with passengers while driving.
Drugs: Street drugs, prescription drugs, and many over-the-counter drugs all affect the brain. It may be legal or illegal to take these drugs, but it is always illegal and negligent to drive under the influence.
Medical condition: Many drivers suffer from heart disease, diabetes and other conditions which may cause sudden and unexpected loss of consciousness. The resulting loss-of-control collisions often cause the most serious injuries.

Driver inattention and speeding also cause many car crashes in Akron.

Medical mistakes, like misdiagnosis, are legally similar to drug overdose cases. The hospital, practice group, or clinic which employed the negligent doctor is usually responsible for damages. Furthermore, the legal duty is very high. A doctor has a fiduciary duty to a patient.

Compensation Available In Akron
In terms of compensation, wrongful death cases work a little differently from other personal injury cases. Most claimants are entitled to pecuniary losses. This broad term includes things like:

- Lost future financial support
- The decedent’s final medical bills
- Lost future emotional support
- The decedent’s pain and suffering
- Economic expenses, such as funeral and burial costs

In some cases, the survivors may be able to file separate claims for their own emotional distress and other noneconomic losses.