Losing a loved one through natural causes is tough enough. It’s even worse when our loved one is killed due to the preventable negligence of another. If this has happened to your loved one, you may have a wrongful death claim.
According to the CDC, in 2021 in the United States, we experienced:
- Just under 225,000 preventable deaths.
- 45,000 of those preventable deaths were caused by motor vehicle crashes.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim? In the state of Missouri, RSMo 537.080 tells us there are three classes of statutory beneficiaries who can make a claim:
- Class one: The spouse, child, surviving lineal descendants (natural or adopted, legitimate or nonlegitimate), mother, or father of the deceased can make a claim.
- Class two: The brother, sister, or the descendants of said brother or sister of the deceased can make a claim.
- Class three: If there is nobody in classes one or two, then the court will appoint a plaintiff ad litem. This is a person who acts on behalf of another party who has a claim and shares in the proceeds.
Furthermore, the statute also makes it clear that only one claim may be brought against a defendant. That means, if there are multiple beneficiaries, the proceeds must be apportioned appropriately by the court. At The Morrissey Law Firm, P.C., we make it our job to get what’s fair and right for you.
Contact us today to start evaluating your potential claim. Let us put our over 27 years of experience to work for you.