The sudden loss of a family member due to someone else’s careless actions can leave your family in financial and emotional freefall. A wrongful death lawyer in Skokie can help you hold the responsible party accountable and pursue the compensation your family may need to move forward.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we are committed to standing beside you every step of the way. Choose Charlie when you’ve lost a loved one to an accident. With more than $100 million recovered for clients across the Chicago area and over 75 years of combined legal experience, we know we can help you.
Contact our Skokie personal injury lawyer team today for a free consultation and let us help you understand your options for financial compensation.
How Negligence Connects to a Wrongful Death Claim
A wrongful death claim is built on the legal concept of negligence. To pursue a claim, your family must be able to show that another party had a duty of care toward your loved one, that they breached that duty, and that the breach directly caused the death. When all of these elements are present, your family may have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit under Illinois law.
Negligence can take many forms. A driver who runs a red light, a property owner who ignores a dangerous condition, or an employer who fails to maintain a safe work environment may all be found negligent if someone dies as a result of their actions. The specific facts of your case will determine which parties may be held responsible.
Understanding how negligence applies to your situation is one of the first things we work through with every family we represent. It is the foundation on which your entire claim will be built.
Who Bears Responsibility in a Skokie Wrongful Death Case
One of the most important questions in any wrongful death case is who can be held legally responsible for the death. In some cases, liability falls clearly on one party.
In others, multiple parties may share responsibility, and identifying all of them can significantly affect the compensation your family may recover.
Parties that may bear responsibility in a wrongful death case include:
- Negligent drivers or vehicle operators
- Property owners who failed to address known hazards
- Employers who did not follow safety regulations
- Construction companies
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule, which means that as long as the deceased was not more than 50 percent at fault, your family may still recover compensation. The amount recovered may be reduced in proportion to any shared fault. A wrongful death attorney in Skokie can help your family assess liability clearly and honestly.
How Wrongful Death Damages Are Calculated in Illinois
Calculating damages in a wrongful death case involves looking at both the financial contributions your loved one made and the less tangible losses your family has suffered. Illinois law allows families to seek compensation for a broad range of harm. The goal is to reflect the true impact of the loss on everyone who depended on or loved the deceased.
Financial losses that may factor into a wrongful death calculation include:
- The income and benefits your loved one would have earned over their lifetime
- The value of the household services they provided
- Funeral and burial costs
- Medical expenses incurred as a result of the fatal incident
- Loss of inheritance that your family may have otherwise received
Beyond financial losses, your family may also seek compensation for grief, emotional suffering, and the loss of companionship and guidance. These non-economic damages are harder to quantify but are a meaningful part of what Illinois law allows families to pursue.
What to Expect During the Claims Process
Many families come to us having never dealt with a legal claim before. Knowing what the process looks like can ease some of the uncertainty during an already difficult time. While every case is different, wrongful death claims in Illinois tend to follow a similar path.
We begin by gathering evidence to establish what happened and who is responsible. This may include reviewing accident reports, medical records, witness accounts, and any available surveillance footage. From there, we assess the full scope of your family’s damages and determine which parties and insurance policies may be involved.
Most wrongful death cases are resolved through settlement negotiations, though we are fully prepared to take your case to trial if a fair resolution cannot be reached. Throughout the process, we keep your family informed and involved so you always know where things stand.
Why Choose Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we have been fighting for families across the Chicago area since 2002. Our founding partner’s years of experience on the insurance defense side with Allstate give us a real advantage when it comes to negotiating with insurance companies.
We understand how they build their cases and how they try to minimize what they pay out. Our inside perspective helps us negotiate strongly for every family we represent, and it’s why we’ve been able to recover so much compensation for victims and their families.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs to your family. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you. We also offer Zoom consultations and a client portal to keep communication clear and accessible throughout your case.
Contact a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Skokie Today
Your family should not have to face insurance companies and legal proceedings while also grieving a devastating loss. Reach out to Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. today for a free, no–obligation consultation and let us take on the legal fight so you can focus on your family.
A Skokie wrongful death attorney from our firm is ready to review your case, answer your questions, and help your family pursue the justice and compensation you may be owed. We go to bat for every client we represent, and we will go to bat for yours. Contact us today to get started.
