Are you struggling with the recent death of a family member because of an accident in Joliet, Illinois? Contact Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys to discuss your legal rights. You may have the right to demand compensation from those responsible for your devastating loss. Our Joliet wrongful death lawyers can help you get the maximum financial award you deserve.
For decades, our award-winning Illinois trial attorneys have supported grieving families after fatal accidents turned their worlds upside-down. Through experience, determination, and a commitment to justice, our top-rated legal team has secured tens of millions in settlements and jury verdicts for victims involved in truck accidents, Joliet nursing home claims, brain injuries, Joliet ridesharing accidents, and other type of accidents.
Don’t settle for less than your family deserves. Contact our Joliet, IL law office at (815) 726-1616 to arrange a time for a free consultation today.
How Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help Your Family After a Fatal Accident in Joliet, IL
The death of a family member is never easy. It can be even more difficult when it happens quickly, and you’re robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye. In addition to being a highly personal loss, you might find that you’re put in an extremely tough financial situation.
While money won’t turn back the clock or bring your loved one back, it can help make a massive difference in your life for years to come.
Our Joliet personal injury lawyers are here to help you make the most of your fight for compensation and get the financial justice you deserve.
Focus on moving forward and grieving your unimaginable loss while our law firm handles every aspect of your wrongful death claim; we will:
- Investigate the circumstances of your family member’s fatal accident
- Determine liability for your resulting damages
- Work with experts to calculate what your Joliet wrongful death case is worth
- Gather critical pieces of evidence to build a compelling legal claim for damages
- Represent you during negotiations with at-fault parties and insurance companies
- File a lawsuit and bring your wrongful death lawsuit to trial if you don’t receive a fair settlement offer
You’re under enough financial pressure as it is. Hiring a lawyer shouldn’t add to your burden. That’s why our Joliet wrongful death attorneys work on contingency. We don’t get paid unless we win your wrongful death case – end of story.
Get in touch with our team to schedule your initial case evaluation for free today.
What is Wrongful Death in Illinois?
Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, there are two requirements for a death to qualify as a “wrongful death.”
First, a death must be caused by the “wrongful act, neglect, or default” of another person.
Second, the decedent (accident victim) would have been entitled to bring a legal claim and recover damages if they’d survived.
Under Illinois law, the right to file a lawsuit isn’t lost just because an accident victim dies. Instead, it shifts to the victim’s estate. Specifically, the personal representative of the victim’s estate reserves the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of surviving beneficiaries.
The personal representative is typically named in the victim’s will – usually a spouse, child, or close friend or family member. If the victim dies intestate (without a will), a court will appoint a representative to carry out legal matters on behalf of the estate.
Any damages recovered in a wrongful death lawsuit are awarded to the surviving spouse and any next of kin (e.g., children, parents).
What Are the Leading Causes of Wrongful Death in Joliet, IL?
Any act of violence or negligence can potentially result in a wrongful death.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we advocate for families in wrongful death cases involving:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Matters of premises liability
- Dog bites
- Assault
- Product liability
- Boating accidents
- Birth injury
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
In some cases, deaths aren’t instantaneous. If your loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, severe burns, or amputated limb that ultimately led to their death, our law firm can help you pursue damages in a wrongful death claim.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Joliet Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
The legal foundation of your wrongful death lawsuit will depend on the circumstances of your loved one’s death.
However, most often, wrongful death lawsuits are a matter of negligence.
In a negligence-based wrongful death action, you will have the burden of proving the following elements:
- The defendant owed your family member a duty of care
- This duty of care was not satisfied because the defendant failed to act reasonably
- The defendant’s conduct was the actual and proximate cause of your family member’s death, and
- You’ve suffered damages.
Illinois law requires you to prove these elements by a preponderance of the evidence. When presented with your wrongful death case, a jury has to believe the story is more likely true than not.
How Can Shared Fault Affect an Illinois Wrongful Death Settlement?
Illinois has a modified comparative negligence law. There is a 51 percent bar to recovery. This affects a plaintiff’s ability to recover compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.
Contributory negligence will also be a critical component of wrongful death litigation. Your family member’s negligence and contributions to their fatal accident will directly affect your wrongful death case.
Damages will be reduced proportionately up to 50 percent. Once your family member’s liability is 51 percent or greater, you lose the right to recover damages in a lawsuit.
It’s important to be proactive and work to dismantle claims of shared responsibility. Your loved one isn’t around to tell their version of events. They’re not around to defend themselves against victim-blaming tactics. Our wrongful death attorneys in Joliet can be.
When you turn to us for help, we will stand up and fight back against claims of shared fault and work to ensure that you’re awarded the maximum financial award you deserve.
What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded in a Joliet, IL Wrongful Death Case?
In an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit, families can recover compensation for both economic and non-economic losses.
Economic damages are intended to offset the financial stress and losses associated with a loved one’s wrongful death, including:
- Lost wages and benefits
- Lost financial support
- Medical bills and expenses paid prior to death
- The value of lost household services and support
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages are awarded to help family members cope with the hard-to-value trauma and stress associated with an unexpected death, such as:
- Loss of consortium
- Mental suffering
- Grief and sorrow
Our wrongful death attorneys in Joliet will carefully construct a legal claim that takes all of your financial and emotional losses into account. We’ll bring in experts and specialists to provide guidance as we identify your damages and calculate what your wrongful death case might be worth. When it’s time to sit down and negotiate, we’ll be prepared to leverage a life-changing settlement on your behalf.
If you’re not offered a fair settlement, we’ll be more than ready to bring your wrongful death lawsuit to trial and fight to get a top-dollar verdict.
What is the Statute of Limitations for Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuits?
Most wrongful death lawsuits in Illinois are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. This gives you two years from the date of your family member’s death to file a legal claim for damages.
Keep in mind that criminal charges related to your family member’s death might affect your civil claim. Illinois law provides that you can have one year from the date a criminal case is resolved to file a lawsuit if the charges were for first or second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, or drug-induced homicide.
You don’t want to assume you’ll have additional time to file a lawsuit. Once the statute of limitations expires, a court can refuse to hear your claim, leaving you without closure and with the financial burden of your loved one’s death.
Protect your rights by speaking with an experienced wrongful death attorney in Joliet, IL immediately. At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we’re always available to help – 24/7/365.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Joliet Wrongful Death Lawyer
Don’t struggle with the consequences of a family member’s sudden and accidental death on your own. Call Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys and discover how our Joliet wrongful death attorneys can help you navigate this challenging time and fight for a substantial monetary award.
When you choose Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, you get a team of award-winning trial attorneys with decades of experience in your corner. Put our passion for justice to work for you.
Contact our law office in Joliet, IL at (815) 726-1616 to arrange your free consultation today.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Joliet, IL
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys
Address:
195 Springfield Ave
Joliet, IL 60435
Phone:
(815) 726-1616
Business Hours:
Monday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 12 PM
Sunday: Closed
Our personal injury law firm in Joliet, IL also provides:
- Brain Injury Lawyers in Joliet, IL
- Car Accident Attorney in Joliet, IL
- Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Joliet, IL
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Joliet, IL
- Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Joliet, IL
- Premises Liability Attorney in Joliet, IL
- Ridesharing Accident Attorneys in Joliet, IL
- Truck Accident Lawyer in Joliet, IL
- Workplace Accident Lawyers in Joliet, IL
