$5
Million
$5 million settlement
We recently won a $5 million settlement for a wrongful death & injury case to survivor due to car crash.
Wrongful Death Lawyers in Plainfield, IN, Help Win Compensation
When a loved one dies unexpectedly due to someone else’s fault, a Plainfield wrongful death lawyer can help you get compensation for your losses.
It is always tragic to lose a loved one, especially when the death happened because someone else was negligent, careless, or at fault. In addition to struggling with feelings of grief and emotional pain, surviving family members may be left with no long-term support while being faced with medical bills and funeral costs. It’s natural to feel angry and not know where to turn.
Fortunately, there is help available from the experienced Plainfield wrongful death lawyers at Stephenson Rife. If negligence was a factor in your loved one’s death, we can help you win compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. While money can never replace the person you lost, a fair settlement award can ease your financial burdens and help your family function and move on with their lives.
Indiana wrongful death laws are complicated, and making mistakes can be costly, but our Plainfield wrongful death lawyers know how to fight for justice and the settlement you deserve. We understand that you are going through a difficult time; we will take the burden off you by handling all negotiations and legal hurdles involved so you can concentrate on your family’s recovery.
If you’ve lost a loved one in Plainfield, IN, and you believe it may have been a wrongful death, we can help. Contact our Plainfield wrongful death attorney to determine the best way to proceed.
Call Stephenson Rife LLP today at (317) 680-2501 to schedule your free consultation with our Plainfield wrongful death lawyer.
How Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Lawyers Help
Why Choose Stephenson Rife
Wrongful death cases are complicated and require knowledge and skill. There are many lawyers out there, and it’s important to find one you not only feel comfortable with, but one who has the experience and contacts needed to fight for the compensation you deserve. Here are some reasons why we feel Stephenson Rife is your best choice:
- We are experienced. We have been meeting the needs of people throughout Indiana since 1976. Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience handling injuries and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies.
- We get results and win large settlements, such as the $48.5 million we won in a truck accident case. We have a strong record of success for a wide range of personal injury and wrongful death cases. You can read client testimonials and about their cases.
- We are recognized in our field. Attorneys Mike Stephenson and Brady Rife have both been named as Indiana Super Lawyers and have won distinguished legal awards. We are recognized for our expertise and are sought as consultants by other law firms.
- We handle all legal paperwork and court appearances within the time frame required by Indiana law.
- We deal and negotiate with insurance companies, so you won’t have to.
- We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
- We are able to provide cost-effective legal services to keep fees low, and you pay us nothing unless we win and you get your money.
Damage Awards Our Wrongful Death Attorney in Plainfield, IN, May Win
Wrongful death cases are more complicated than normal injury cases. In a Plainfield wrongful death case, close family members seek compensation for the loss of a loved one. Once negligence is established, the party responsible for the death can be made to provide compensation for damages. In a successful wrongful death claim, our wrongful death attorneys in Plainfield, IN, can help you win two different types of damages: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are for monetary costs you had related to the death, including
- Medical bills
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost wages, along with any benefits the deceased likely would have received or earned, such as a pension
- The costs of bringing the wrongful death suit, including reasonable attorney’s fees
Non-economic damages provide compensation for losses that don’t have a set dollar value, such as:
- Loss of consortium and companionship, and the love and support the deceased would have provided.
Indiana does not allow punitive damages in a wrongful death case and provides a damages cap in only one situation (IN Code § 34-23-1-2): When the deceased was unmarried and had no dependents, a damages payment cannot exceed $300,000. For any other situation, there is no legal limit on how much compensation you might receive.
Our wrongful death attorneys in Plainfield, IN, will examine all aspects of how the loss has impacted your life. Then they’ll identify an appropriate target compensation amount and build a case showing evidence of the damages you claim.
What Is Wrongful Death?
Wrongful death is the legal term for a death that was caused through the negligence of another. Wrongful death claims ask for damages to compensate eligible family members for what they’ve lost due to the death. Wrongful death suits are commonly sought after a death caused by:
- Vehicle accidents when someone acted unlawfully, such as driving drunk through a red light and causing a fatal crash.
- Medical malpractice when a doctor didn’t follow a reasonable standard of care, such as a surgeon causing a fatal infection by leaving a sponge in a body cavity.
- Work accidents due to a third party’s negligence.
- Defective products or medical devices that caused death, even when used properly.
- Property accidents such as fatal falls because property was not maintained in a safe condition.
- Dangerous road or construction conditions.
Any time a loved one dies unexpectedly, there’s a chance their death was the avoidable result of another’s negligence, and our wrongful death attorney in Plainfield, IN, can help. While no amount of money can replace your loved one, fair compensation can relieve your financial burdens and make it easier to rebuild your life.
Do I Need a Plainfield Wrongful Death Lawyer?
You will typically stand a better chance of getting the full value of damages with the help of our experienced Plainfield wrongful death attorney who understands how insurers operate and knows how to effectively negotiate with them. Wrongful death cases are one of the most difficult types of lawsuits to successfully navigate. Insurance companies are concerned with their bottom line and have high-powered lawyers that keep their payouts as low as possible.
When a wrongful death is caused by negligence of a corporation or organization, the legal fight may have added challenges. Companies may have established protocols and their own legal teams to help protect them from liability in situations like wrongful death. And, on top of taking on the company’s legal team, our Plainfield wrongful death lawyer will have to take on the insurer’s lawyers, too.
Dealing with extensive legal documentation, the collection of evidence, and building a strong case requires the services of a trained legal professional if you hope to achieve full compensation. When you work with Stephenson Rife, our attorney will need to do extensive work to prove wrongful death occurred.
Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Attorney Works for You
When dealing with grief, funeral preparations and other adjustments to loss, pursuing a complex legal case could seem overwhelming. When you have our Plainfield wrongful death attorney working for you, we will relieve your burdens and handle all aspects of your case. We will:
- Meet with you to discuss how the death occurred, who the at-fault parties may be, and determine if you have a valid lawsuit and what type of settlement to go after.
- Conduct investigations to gather evidence, such as photographs and videos, and police, ambulance, hospital, and medical records and reports.
- Interview witnesses and first responders.
- Get expert opinions from accident reconstruction professionals, and medical professionals and therapists as to how the death will affect your family into the future.
- Negotiate with insurance companies and opposition lawyers for a fair settlement.
- Build your case and bring it to court and present it in front of a judge and jury if necessary.
We provide personalized service tailored to your needs. Learn your options by speaking with our wrongful death attorney in Plainfield, IN. Let us put our resources to work for you, because you are entitled to justice for your loss.
FAQs About Wrongful Death Cases in Plainfield
Wrongful Death Lawyers in Plainfield, IN, Answer Questions
When dealing with the loss of a loved one, you are bound to have questions and concerns. These are best addressed at your free consultation, but to get started, here are some answers to some of the more common questions our attorneys are often asked.
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Compensation in a wrongful death case can vary widely. It depends on many factors, including medical debts incurred and whether the deceased had dependents. Juries are usually sympathetic when a death is involved, so a successful wrongful death claim often comes with a high compensation amount.
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In Indiana, technically, the personal representative of the deceased’s estate files the wrongful death suit on behalf of close family members. Eligible family members are usually the deceased’s parents, children, spouse, or legal guardians. These family members become the estate’s beneficiaries and collect any awards from the settlement.
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The length of time it will take to resolve a wrongful death case will vary greatly, depending on the specifics of each case. The number of parties involved, the complexity of the case, and the amount of money at stake could all play a role. Some claims can resolve in months, while others might take years. Cases settled through negotiation take less time than those that go to trial.
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Yes, Indiana has a deadline, called a statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim that is generally two years from the date of death. This may sound like a lot of time, but lots of work must be done before a case is ready to be filed. It’s a mistake to delay speaking with a Plainfield wrongful death attorney, as waiting can disqualify you from compensation.
Contact Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Attorney Today
We Fight for Justice When a Loved One Is Lost
Wrongful death is one of the most difficult and emotional hurdles you and your family can encounter. The grief of any loss is bad enough. The knowledge that the loss of a loved one was the avoidable result of another’s negligence makes the death even more difficult to accept.
No amount of compensation can bring your loved one back. What it can do is allow your family time to grieve and recover without financial stress, and it can serve justice to the responsible party. You do not have to worry about costs, because we work on a contingency basis — attorney fees are a percentage of the overall compensation amount and are paid only if and when your case is successful.
If you believe the death of a loved one may have been a wrongful death, don’t hesitate to take action. Contact Stephenson Rife by calling (317) 680-2501 and schedule your free consultation with our Plainfield, IN, wrongful death lawyer.
Attorney Mike Stephenson
Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies. His current practice is dominated by civil litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses much of his time on handling catastrophic injuries caused by all types of accidents, including motor vehicle, trucking, workplace injuries, product liability, and fire, just to name a few. He also works extensively in construction accidents. [ Attorney Bio ]
Table Of Contents
- Wrongful Death Lawyers in Plainfield, IN, Help Win Compensation
- How Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Lawyers Help
- Damage Awards Our Wrongful Death Attorney in Plainfield, IN, May Win
- What Is Wrongful Death?
- Do I Need a Plainfield Wrongful Death Lawyer?
- Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Attorney Works for You
- FAQs About Wrongful Death Cases in Plainfield
- Contact Our Plainfield Wrongful Death Attorney Today
