Clifford Law Offices has Experienced Wrongful Death Lawyers

Wrongful death generally means a lawsuit is filed when the wrongful conduct of a person or entity results in the death of another person. Like personal injury, this area of tort can involve every area of tort practice – from premises liability, trucking disasters to dangerous products on the market – but your first step should be to consult with an experienced wrongful death attorney. The wrongful death lawyer will help determine, first, who is the personal representative authorized to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the estate of a deceased person against the persons or entities responsible for the victim’s death.

Unlike a personal injury case, where the injured person is one of the plaintiffs, in the case of a wrongful death action, the family members bring the lawsuit for the wrongful actions. Oftentimes, it is the victim’s surviving spouse, children, beneficiaries or dependents who are the plaintiffs and are entitled to monetary damages that result from the victim’s death. Generally, lawsuits are allowed under survival statutes which allow a victim’s survivors to bring a cause of action after the victim dies.

Laws in Illinois, and in all states, govern the time frame in which a wrongful death lawsuit may be filed. Depending upon both the plaintiffs and the defendants involved, the deadlines vary. Anyone with a potential case should consult an experienced wrongful death law firm like Chicago’s Clifford Law Offices to determine what law or laws apply to them.

Wrongful Death Damages

Various types of monetary damages may be recovered in a wrongful death action and a wrongful death law firm can assess the merits of the case as well as the potential damages, including loss of companionship, sorrow and grief, which may be sought in such an action. For example, it is common to take the victim’s earnings at the time of his or her death and calculate the remaining years that person was expected to live to determine future lost earnings using life expectancy tables as well as experts who figure what is known as present cash value as well as the investment value of that money. The decedent’s will also must be examined. Experienced wrongful death attorneys also can determine whether punitive damages are available. These damages are meant to punish a defendant for intentional or egregious conduct.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit and A Just Solution

Clifford Law Offices represents many people in wrongful death actions. Robert Clifford has been practicing in this area of law for 30 years, and the lawyers at his firm have experience in the area of wrongful death litigation. The law firm’s goal is to obtain a fair and just result. The civil justice system can do so through financial compensation. The lawyers at the firm are dedicated to finding answers to its clients’ questions and obtaining a just solution to the matter.

Clifford Law Offices is a Chicago law firm that regularly handles complex damage cases, including claims for personal injury and wrongful death arising out of aviation, transportation, trucking, medical negligence, product liability and premises liability claims as well as whistleblowing and commercial fraud litigation.

We look forward to putting our Illinois attorneys’ experience to work for you. Because they can be complex cases, it is important to select a Chicago wrongful death lawyer with experience. To contact us, fill out the form on your right and email us with some details about your case and a convenient time for us to call. You can also call us toll free at (866) 896-6896 or (312) 899-9090 if you are in the Chicago, Illinois area.

Learn more about Clifford Law Offices and review recent judgments and settlements by our Illinois wrongful death attorneys.

Accolades for Clifford Law Offices

Clifford Law Offices received national first-tier rankings in Plaintiffs' Product Liability Litigation in the 2010 U.S. News-Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" Guide. Thousands of clients and law firms were surveyed by U.S. News-Best Lawyers. This is the first time that a national ranking has been compiled and it was featured in the October print issue of U.S. News & World Report. Robert Clifford, senior and name partner at the firm, was named the 2009 Best Lawyers' Top Personal Injury Attorney in Chicago. The firm also received Metropolitan First-Tier rankings in Plaintiffs' Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs' Product Liability Litigation and Plaintiffs' Medical Malpractice Law in what some have called the most comprehensive view of the U.S. legal profession. Thousands of law firms and clients were surveyed. Robert Clifford has been named a Best Lawyer since the publication's inception in 1983. Kevin Durkin and Keith Hebeisen, partners at the firm, were named Best Lawyers in the 2011 edition. Robert A. Clifford was selected in 2004 as one of the "five most respected and feared plaintiffs' attorneys" in the country by Corporate Legal Times, calling him "the best of the bad." The National Law Journal named Mr. Clifford's firm on the "Plaintiffs' Hot List: 20 Go-To Teams" in 2004 and one of the top 25 firms in 2003. The publication also named Robert Clifford one of the Top Ten Litigators in Illinois as well as one of the nation's Top Ten Litigators. American Lawyer Media recognized Mr. Clifford as one of the Top Ten Most Influential Lawyers in Illinois in 2000. He has consistently been voted by his peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America , and he was named one of Chicago's "30 Toughest Lawyers" by Chicago Magazine in 2002. He was selected to be a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 trial lawyers from around the country. 

At Clifford Law Offices, each Chicago Illinois wrongful death lawyer handles complex cases. Please call (866) 896-6896 for a consultation.