Wrongful Death Attorney in Mississippi
The death of a loved one is always a painful experience. That pain can turn to anger and exasperation when it happens because of another person’s careless, reckless, or intentionally dangerous behavior. If this has happened to you and your family, you deserve accountability and maximum compensation for your unthinkable loss.
At Williams Newman Williams, our wrongful death law firm is proud to stand up on behalf of Mississippians in situations like yours. We understand the deep emotions you are experiencing right now, and we are here to shoulder the legal burden so that you can concentrate on spending time with your loved ones. With over four decades of combined experience and millions of dollars recovered for people like you, our lawyers know what it takes to win.
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation consultation with a reputable Mississippi wrongful death lawyer. We can review your case, explain your legal options, and help you move forward.
Why Choose WNW for Your Mississippi Wrongful Death Case?
At WNW, we know you have many options when it comes to hiring a Mississippi wrongful death attorney. The following are a few reasons why we believe we are your clear choice:
- Our Commitment to Open Communication: Our lawyers prioritize having real conversations from the start, so that we can understand what you are going through and better represent you throughout your wrongful death claim. It starts with your free, no-risk, fully confidential consultation, during which we will listen to your story and answer your questions in plain English. Once we take your case, we will remain in regular communication throughout the process, keeping you updated and informed about its progress. Our goal is that you feel understood and supported from the moment you walk through our door.
- Our Commitment to Our Fellow Mississippians – We genuinely care about the people and communities we serve. Our attorneys know the courts here well, including the circuit courts in Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Forrest counties, where your case may be heard. We know how judges and juries here think and what arguments they may find especially persuasive, which gives us an edge at trial. Our lawyers also have experience before the state’s highest court, the Mississippi Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
- Our Direct-to-Trial Strategy – While we will aggressively negotiate for a full settlement, our lawyers approach every wrongful death case we handle as if it will go to trial immediately. Not only does this strengthen our negotiating position, but it means we will be fully prepared should the other side fail to make a reasonable offer. This positions our clients for stronger outcomes from the get-go.
- Our Commitment to Results – We will go the distance for you, no matter how complex your case or how stringent the opposition. Our lawyers believe that recovering maximum compensation is the best way to honor your departed loved one and provide for your future.
- Our No-Fee Arrangement – You pay nothing unless our lawyers recover the full and fair compensation you and your family deserve for your untimely loss. We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means there are no fees unless we get you a settlement or verdict for your case.
Reach out to us today to schedule your free, no-risk, fully confidential consultation.
What Compensation Could You Recover in a Wrongful Death Claim?
If someone else is responsible for your loved one’s passing, your wrongful death compensation could include money for the following:
- Medical expenses from the treatment your loved one received prior to their passing
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost income from any time your loved one missed at work after their injury
- Lost future earnings that your loved one can no longer accrue
- Your lost companionship
- The pain and suffering your loved one experienced between their injury and their death
When you meet with us, our lawyers can assess your case and explain what compensation your family may be entitled to pursue.
How Do Wrongful Death Settlements Get Distributed in Mississippi?
One of the more common questions our lawyers receive is, “How are wrongful death settlements paid out?” The Mississippi wrongful death statute, MS Code § 11-7-13, establishes the following hierarchy for who can recover:
- A surviving spouse and children share any recovered compensation.
- If the deceased left behind a spouse but no children, the spouse receives all recovered compensation.
- Surviving children share any recovered compensation if the deceased did not have a surviving spouse.
- The deceased’s parents and siblings share compensation if the deceased did not have a spouse or children.
All recovered compensation goes to the deceased’s estate if they left no spouse, children, parents, or siblings.
Our law firm can walk you through what you may expect based on your specific situation, then fight for the maximum compensation you are owed.
What Must You Prove in a Wrongful Death Case?
To win your wrongful death case, you must prove that your loved one would not have died if not for someone else’s careless, reckless, or intentional actions, or another legal fault.
The specific elements you must establish to prove this fact will depend on the legal theory you bring your case under. For example, many personal injury cases, including car accident claims, are based on the theory of negligence: that the defendant failed to exercise sufficient care under the circumstances.
To win a negligence-based wrongful death claim, you must show the following:
- The defendant owed your loved one a duty of care. As an example, all motorists have a duty of care towards other road users to avoid injuring them.
- The defendant violated that duty, such as by running a red light.
- The defendant’s violation of that duty directly led to your loved one’s fatal injury.
- Your loved one and your family suffered financial and personal harm as a result of their fatal injury.
Establishing these elements takes substantial evidence, including the following:
- Your loved one’s death certificate or autopsy report
- Medical records related to your loved one’s injury and the treatment they received
- Police or other incident reports
- Photographs and videos of the accident scene
- Surveillance footage, dashcam footage, or other recordings of the incident
- Physical evidence and inspection, maintenance, or safety records related to the incident
- Testimony from eyewitnesses who saw what happened
- Testimony from experts in fields like medicine, forensics, or engineering
- Employment and income records like pay stubs, tax returns, and benefits information
- Invoices from the funeral home or cemetery
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Mississippi?
Under MS Code § 11-7-13, any wrongful death beneficiaries in Mississippi can initiate a lawsuit, including the following:
- The deceased’s spouse
- The deceased’s children
- The deceased’s parents
- The deceased’s siblings
- The personal representative of the deceased’s estate
Regardless of who files the wrongful death lawsuit, any recovered compensation is distributed to beneficiaries in the order set out later in the statute.
How Long Do You Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Mississippi?
The Mississippi wrongful death statute of limitations establishes how long you have to file suit against the people at fault for your loved one’s passing. This rule provides a three-year window that begins on the date of your loved one’s death. If you attempt to file your lawsuit after this deadline has passed, the court will throw out your case, no matter how strong your argument and evidence may be, and you and your loved ones will receive nothing.
Do not risk losing your right to accountability for your loved one’s passing. Contact WNW now so we can start preparing your case immediately.
What Are Common Wrongful Death Causes?
Practically any incident that could give rise to a personal injury case in Mississippi could also result in a wrongful death claim if the victim’s injuries prove fatal. Common wrongful death causes of action include the following:
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- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boat accidents
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Slip-and-falls and other premises liability accidents
- Product liability/defective product cases
These are just a few common examples. Contact WNW if any of these happened to your loved one, or if you believe another incident not listed here caused their death.
What Can a Mississippi Lawyer Do for Your Wrongful Death Case?
Do not try to face the painful aftermath of your sudden loss alone. Instead, turn to WNW to get help from a compassionate wrongful death lawyer in Mississippi. Our compassionate and experienced lawyers can do the following for you:
- Meet with you during a free and fully confidential consultation, so that you can better understand your rights and options
- Communicate with at-fault parties and their insurers to spare you this emotionally difficult task and protect you from any attempts to undermine your case
- Independently investigate what happened and secure evidence supporting your case
- Calculating the financial and personal harms your loved one and your family suffered because of their injury and passing
- Preparing your case for trial from the start to strengthen our negotiating position and be ready in case settlement talks prove ineffective
- Argue aggressively for maximum compensation through a settlement that spares you the time, stress, and uncertainty of a trial
- Represent you before a judge and jury if the other side will not make you a reasonable offer
- Support you throughout your case, answering your questions promptly and keeping you informed so that you can make key decisions from a place of confidence
WNW works on contingency, which means you will not pay us anything up front as we get started on your case. Instead, our fee is an agreed-upon percentage of what we recover for you through a settlement or at trial. That way, you will not pay out-of-pocket to access the committed and compassionate legal help you deserve.
Contact a Mississippi Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
After someone else’s negligence led to your loved one’s death, you and your family deserve accountability and maximum compensation to move on with your lives. However, the time to take action is running faster than you think.
The sooner you reach out to WNW, the sooner we can begin safeguarding your legal rights, crafting the strongest case possible, and demanding that the wrongdoers face justice for their actions. Contact us today for your free, no-pressure, fully confidential consultation with a wrongful death attorney in Mississippi.
When You Need a Win, turn to WNW.
