When a loved one dies prematurely, you deserve to know why. Our experienced legal team finds the answers and fights to hold wrongdoers accountable.
Ohio Wrongful Death Attorneys
Lawyers Who Uncover the Truth After a Wrongful Death
When a loved one dies prematurely, you deserve to know why. Our experienced legal team finds the answers and fights to hold wrongdoers accountable.
“Our family was devastated at the loss of our beautiful sister. We know God put us in Chip Cooper’s office in search of what happened. Chip Cooper and his crew uncovered many disturbing answers that led to her death. They stayed beside us as it took 8 years to get justice for our sister. They got to know her and our family. They fight and speak for those who have died at the negligence of others. They leave no stone unturned. We will always miss her until we meet again. There are not enough words that we can say to thank the Cooper Elliott team. If you want the answers, these are caring professionals that take their cases personally. May God Always bless you as you continue the fight for justice!”
Jeanne Schmidt
Wrongful Death Attorneys in Columbus and Cincinnati
We excel in complex wrongful death cases.
We have experience holding responsible parties accountable—no matter how powerful they are or how hard they try to escape justice. In fact, our legal work has resulted in new state laws to prevent wrongful deaths in Ohio.
What Happens In A Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Tell us what happened. We’ll take it from there.
After a loved one dies, you are faced with difficult emotions and new challenges every day. We want you to focus on healing, so we work quickly to protect your rights and find out what led to their death. Then we do everything we can to seek justice and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
We listen to you.
Share your story and how the death of your loved one has affected your life at your initial consultation.
We investigate your claim.
We gather information, interview witnesses, and obtain police and medical records.
We work with experts.
Accident reconstruction specialists, medical professionals, and other professionals explain what happened and why.
We stand by you.
We negotiate medical bills and funeral expenses and share resources to help you rebuild your life.
We find creative solutions
Some settlements include apologies, new business procedures, or something that’s important to you.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Cases
Wrongful death case results that speak for themselves.
3,660,000
JURY VERDICT
for the family of a man electrocuted by faulty wiring installed by an HVAC company.
5,725,000
JURY VERDICT
for the death of a young mother and injuries to her husband in an automobile accident.
1,900,000
SETTLEMENT
for the family of a 4-year-old child killed by a stove that the apartment complex had not secured.
Confidential settlement
for the family of a woman who died after an ER doctor and hospital failed to treat her stroke.
*The outcome of any client’s case will depend on the particular legal and factual circumstances of the case.
Questions For A Wrongful Death Attorney
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that you may have questions about your case or the timing involved with filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Here are answers to what many of our clients want to know.
What does “wrongful death” mean?
A wrongful death is the loss of life that results from someone else’s actions, whether intentional or due to negligence. The term covers many different situations, such as a car accident caused by a distracted driver, a doctor ignoring life-threatening symptoms, or a bar fight that went too far.
Each state has its own laws that cover wrongful death lawsuits. The laws specify who can file a wrongful death action, the types of losses that are eligible for compensation, and the deadline for filing a case in civil court (known as the statute of limitations), and other procedural details.
Who can file a wrongful death claim?
Typically, the immediate family, surviving spouse or domestic partner, or other beneficiaries of the deceased have the option of filing a wrongful death civil action.
Our law firm obtained the first decision in Ohio that recognized a domestic partner’s right to pursue claims for loss of companionship.
Each state has specific rules around this, which we can discuss with you during your initial consultation.
What can I expect in our initial legal consultation?
You will meet with an experienced wrongful death attorney who will listen to your story and discuss the legal options available to you. To investigate, it may be necessary for us to have a probate attorney open an estate for the decedent and have a family member appointed as the estate administrator. It’s a quick but important step.
We will be honest with you about how the legal system works and possible avenues to explore to seek justice for the death of your loved one.
Every day, we meet with people who are picking up the pieces of their life after a tragedy. We understand, and we won’t pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do at any step in the process.
How much will I have to pay for a wrongful death civil case?
Cooper Elliott offers free consultations, and we are paid only if we win your wrongful death lawsuit or settle your claim out of court. We discuss the details with you every step of the way so there are no surprises.
What is the average settlement for a wrongful death claim?
Connecting a dollar figure to the death of a loved one is an effort to provide for the family in a way the deceased would have wanted. It has nothing to do with the decedent’s value as a person. There are certain factors that go into determining this amount, such as the age and health of the person who died, their earning capacity, and whether they had dependents who counted on them financially and emotionally.
Wrongful death settlements typically include medical expenses, funeral expenses, and the financial support the deceased would have provided had they lived.
Many wrongful death claims are settled out of court, and many settlements are confidential, which makes it difficult to find an average. For your reference, Cooper Elliott has obtained more than $350 million for clients in wrongful death settlements and lawsuits from different situations, such as car accidents, medical malpractice, inattentive childcare workers, hazing rituals, and amusement ride malfunctions. We will fight just as hard for you.
Is there a deadline for filing a wrongful death action?
Yes, each state has its own rules specifying how long you have to file a claim. The legal term for this is statute of limitations. For example, Ohio law typically requires a wrongful death action to begin within two years.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Process
Let us fight for you.
Has someone you loved died due to another person’s actions? Schedule a free consultation today to find the best way to seek justice. Here’s how it usually works:
- Initial Conversation
- Case Evaluation
- Filing of Lawsuit
- Exchange of Information
- Mediation
- Trial
- Initial Conversation
- Case Evaluation
- Filing of Lawsuit
- Exchange of Information
- Mediation
- Trial
Recent Reviews
I highly recommend Kaela King. She provided compassionate and supportive legal consultation over the phone that provided me with... clear guidance and answers to my legal questions.read more
Even though Mr. Cooper wasn’t able to take my case, he was kind enough to point me in the right direction and answer all my... questions, regarding my matter. I appreciate your time!read more
Through the law firm Cooper Elliott, I dealt with attorney, Bart Keyes. Bart was very thorough and understood that I Had no clue... of how this process would go. Bart took the time needed to help educate me on this process for a very positive outcome.I can’t thank Bart and the staff at Cooper Elliott enough for all they have done for me. I am now able to move on with my life!read more
My name is Anthony Johnson and I just spoke with Ben Cooper about a wrongful accusation case, unfortunately they don't take on... cases such as these but Ben gave me some valuable information and I could tell he really was trying to help me. Very knowledgeable and a great listener. Give him all call for anything law related. Made me feel important.read more
I worked with Adam Richards and his team. They were empathetic to my situation and extremely professional. I don't know what I... would have done without their expert guidance and counsel. Adam really knows his stuff, and it was clear he had an excellent rapport with all who assisted in the case. Adam's communication abilities were next level. I never had to worry about getting ahold of him when needed. I know he and his team will continue to knock it out of the park for all future clients like they did for me.read more
My husband, Bob and I were injured in an automobile accident in December, 2022 when someone came through a Stop sign. We... contacted Cooper Elliott, and were fortunate to work with Sean Alto and Kaela King. They came to our home several times to meet us and discuss the case, and got to know us personally as well as professionally. They really care about their clients! In addition, Michael Tonovitz stayed in contact with us to keep us informed on the progress of the case, which was resolved to our satisfaction.We highly recommend this law firm for personal injury!read more
Highly Recommend Jon with Cooper & Elliott firm. He was very responsive and went above and beyond to help with our situation. ... Can't thank him enough for everything he has done for us. He will be our "Guy" moving forward for any legal help!!read more
Excellent firm i am so glad I found cooper Elliot. My attorneys Jon and Adam helped me through the entire process
I am so glad I found cooper Elliot. My attorneys Jon and Adam helped me through the entire process. After a traumatic experience... in my life I was confused and in pain. They worked tirelessly to become familiar with all the details of my story and represented me in a way that made me more able to process and understand the trauma myself. This was huge for me, while there’s still healing to do, I can do that work now instead of staying in a purgatory of cognitive dissonance. They didn’t just win justice for me, they are a significant part of my healing journey. They were validating, non judgmental, honest, and knowledgeable.read more
Excellent firm. The firm was referred to us for a commercial dispute. Bart Keyes is a master negotiator and kept us informed at... all times. Highly recommend.read more
Jonathan Bond handled a personal injury claim for me quickly with maximum results. He’s pleasant and enjoyable to work with, as... well as compassionate. The firm handled all the legwork of getting medical records and copies of paperwork, which not all firms do. I would recommend Jonathan to anyone and would definitely go back to him if the need were to arise again.read more
Very satisfied! We dealt with Bart Keyes who showed genuine interest in our situation. Bart was always very quick to respond when... we had questions and kept us informed throughout the case. If you need legal representation for a commercial real estate dispute we highly recommend Bart and the Cooper Elliot firm!read more
I honestly struggle to find the words to describe how incredible this firm is, especially Jeffrey Kenny and Sean Alto. 7 years... ago, my family started a journey through a nightmare. When the criminal justice system fell woefully short, Jeff agreed to take on our incredibly challenging and lengthy case, with no other reason than that it was the right thing to do, and he believed we deserved justice. There were so many times when I would have understood if they walked away, but they refused and vowed to get us the justice we deserved, and almost 7 years later, they have given my family just that. I will never, ever, forget what they have done for us. We were never just another case. They made us feel like we were their ONLY case! Thank you will never come close to the gratitude and respect I have for Jeff and Sean, as well as for Cooper Elliott. They will be superheroes in our home, forever!read more
Everyone from top to bottom in this company is always polite and ready to help. And no matter what is thrown their way, it's... handled quickly and skillfully. Whoever represents you will show themselves to be a master in their craft. You can feel safe working with Cooper Elliott.read more
I would highly recommend Cooper Elliott to any of my friends and family! Chip Cooper was extremely helpful guiding me through a... difficult process. Chip was patient with me and provided feedback during the process that kept me informed until the desired outcome was achieved. There were interactions with other staff of the firm (whose names I do not know) that were helpful as well, I was impressed with the entire team!read more
Adam Richards is the best attorney I have ever met. He is responsive and very patient (I had a lot of questions) and he truly... cares. He fought hard for me and he stands up to the bully. he is not afraid to take on anyone. Anytime I hear someone who has a legal issue I go out of my way to recommend Adam. He is unlike any attorney I have ever met. He is compassionate and he always answers his phone. There is no way I would have got the results I received with any other attorney. He was a bulldog in my case and really went to bat for me. Words cant express how grateful I am to him. His actions personally affected my life in a very positive way. He protected me in so many ways I couldn't begin to name them. It is a great feeling when you know your attorney outmatches the other party's attorney and it is obvious.read more
