Wrongful Death: When a person’s death is caused by the negligent act of a wrongdoer or reckless conduct.
Unlike personal injury cases where the injured person is one of the plaintiffs, in a wrongful death action or suit, the family members bring the lawsuit for the wrongful actions or negligence of a wrongdoer. Typically, 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. 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 lawyer at a law firm like Clifford Law Offices to determine what law or laws apply to them.
The first step a family member who thinks their lost loved one had a death caused by the negligent act of a wrongdoer is to consult with an experienced wrongful death attorney. Clifford Law Offices has extensive experience representing wrongful death cases. We can be reached at 1-800-899-0410 or 312-899-9090 or via our online form to discuss your case.
Examples of judgments and settlements by our Illinois wrongful death attorneys:
- Robert Clifford obtained a confidential amount in the case of Joshua Woods, the little boy who was killed when a jet slid off the runway at Midway Airport and landed on top of his family’s car as he sang “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
- Robert Clifford and Kevin Durkin represented the widow of Bob Collins, the popular WGN disc jockey who was killed when the air traffic controller was found to be at fault in misguiding his plane and that of a student pilot’s when they crashed near Waukegan Regional Airport in 2000.
- Keith Hebeisen, partner at the firm, obtained a $2 million settlement on behalf of the family of a 55-year-old woman who died when a radiologist failed to properly interpret her MRI that indicated the presence of an intra-spinal tumor.
- Hebeisen also received a $4 million settlement on behalf of the family of an infant who died 12 hours after delivery when doctors and hospital staff were negligent in the delayed cesarean delivery of a high-risk mother.
At Clifford Law Offices, each Chicago Illinois wrongful death lawyer handles complex cases. Our attorneys are available for consultation on potential wrongful death legal actions.