Whenever someone you love suffers a severe injury, it can feel as though it’s one of life’s most difficult obstacles. However, there’s not much that can impact a family much like losing someone because of someone else’s negligence.
In Oklahoma, the law refers to this situation as a wrongful death. For the family, it’s vital for you to speak with a wrongful death lawyer Tulsa OK to understand what rights you have moving forward. You may be able to seek certain damages, but you should know who can file the claim.
Who Files a Wrongful Death Claim?
Oklahoma law permits the deceased individual’s personal representative to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the decedent and his or her family. In many situations, the personal representative is the surviving spouse, parents, children, or siblings. However, if the deceased person did not name a personal representative prior to his or her death, the court may appoint one.
You should know that the personal representative does not have to be a family member. This is the person that represents the deceased person’s estate, and any damages the court awards is still split between the decedent’s beneficiaries.
What Compensation May You Recover?
Like most personal injury cases, damages are categorized as either economic or non-economic losses. Economic losses often refer to anything that the family loses that has a direct value. For instance, the money they spend on the funeral, medical costs from the time of the injury to the time of the death, and lost wages the deceased individual would have made count as economic losses.
Non-economic losses refer to those damages that don’t have a direct monetary value. In wrongful death cases, this includes pain and suffering, loss of guidance, loss of companionship, and other grief from which the family may suffer.
To pursue compensation, it’s best to get the help of a wrongful death lawyer Tulsa OK. Our firm has been representing individuals and families with over 50 years of combined experience, and we’re ready to help you too.
