Wrongful Death
Little Rock Wrongful Death Lawyers
Helping Families in Arkansas with offices in little rock, Mountain Home, & Texarkana
We understand that no amount of compensation can ever make up for the death of a loved one caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, but it can ensure that you will have financial security in the years to come.
A wrongful death claim is a legal avenue to seek justice for your loved one, hold responsible parties accountable, and recover compensation to help fill the financial gap left behind by your loved one’s death.
In addition to dealing with the emotional shock of losing a loved one, the family must deal with multiple other issues, including:
- Funeral arrangements and the associated expenses
- Locating assets of the deceased
- Identifying the cause of death and the possible responsibility of a third party
Our attorneys at Collins, Collins & Ray have helped many families who suffered a loss. We can fight to make sure that you are compensated to help cover the monetary and emotional costs of losing someone close to you.
Wrongful Death Damages
Wrongful death compensation may cover funeral expenses. In some cases, damages can be awarded for non-monetary items that the surviving family members were deprived of since the death of the loved one, including companionship, comfort, support, training, guidance, and counsel.
A number of factors are considered in determining damages in a wrongful death case, including the age, condition, health, life expectancy, character, intelligence, and earning capacity of the deceased. In Arkansas, a “loss of life” claim allows you to seek compensation for the value that the deceased placed upon his or her own life. This is often difficult to prove without the help of an experienced attorney like those at Collins, Collins & Ray.
What to Do First if You Believe You Have a Wrongful Death Claim
We know that after a death occurs, your thoughts may be preoccupied with sadness and a myriad of other things. However, this is the most important time to be vigilant. Prompt investigation and preservation of evidence is key to the success of your claim. Your first step in a wrongful death case is to call Collins, Collins & Ray.
While you take the time you need to grieve, we can get to work for you. Our team will work tirelessly to investigate the circumstances of your loved one’s death, gather evidence, retain experts, and conduct depositions on your behalf. Large insurance companies may try to take advantage of you during this time, but we will aggressively safeguard your rights.
We will get to the bottom of why the fatality occurred and who is legally responsible for the incident. Once you receive what you are owed, you can begin to move on from this tragic loss.
Contact Us for Assistance with Your Wrongful Death Claim
If you have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, get in touch with Collins, Collins & Ray as soon as possible. We can help you hold the responsible party accountable.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Our Achievements
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The National Trial Lawyers - Top 100 Trial Lawyers: Brian Ray 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021
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Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent: Brian Ray 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
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The National Trial Lawyers – Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyers: Brian Ray 2021
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Little Rock Soiree – Best Lawyers: Brian Ray 2013
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Avvo – Clients' Choice Award: Brian Ray 2012, 2017 and 2019 10.0 Superb Top Rated Personal Injury 10.0 Superb Top Attorney Criminal Defense
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AY Magazine’s Arkansas Best Lawyers: Brian Ray 2020, 2021
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National Association of Distinguished Counsel Top One Percent: Brian Ray 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
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American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys – 10 Best Client Satisfaction: Brian Ray 2014, 2015, 2016
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Nation’s Premier Top Ten Attorney – Personal Injury: Brian Ray 2016
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Avvo 5 Star Rating: Brian Ray
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Avvo Clients Choice Award - Brian Ray 2019
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Avvo Rating - Top Attorney: Brian Ray
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Why should I pursue a legal claim when there is nothing that can be done to bring my loved one back?
This is a very important question. The answer tends to be a highly personal choice. However, some common reasons may include the following:
- A belief that serious attention to this problem is required because the victim or surviving family member is truly concerned that someone else will be needlessly hurt if they sit back and fail to sound the alarm about a dangerous medical provider, procedure or process.
- Perhaps the deceased was the kind of person that would stand up and fight for what is right and the surviving family wants to honor her memory and make sure that every question about her death is given a complete medical and legal answer because that is what she would have done under the circumstances.
- Maybe the error was so egregious and beyond the pale that the victim or the surviving family members simply could not rest if something were not done to correct it.
- Sometimes people pursue such cases because of the perceived unfairness for someone to so carelessly cause so much harm without any accountability.
- Unfortunately, people suffering from medical negligence may be left completely in the dark because the negligent medical care provider will not be up front and communicate about the mistake. Perhaps a cover-up is suspected.
- Commonly, people pursue such claims because the death cut down a person in their prime earning years and their surviving family was relying on their income and support which is now lost forever due to a medical mistake.
Whatever the motivation, the law does provide accountability for patients needlessly harmed by medical care providers that failed to meet the standard of care required.
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What is an Arkansas “loss of life” claim?
In Arkansas, experienced attorneys pursuing wrongful death claims will also be seeking compensation for the value that the deceased placed upon his or her own life.
This is a very specific element of damages and is often difficult to prove without careful consideration of those aspects of a person’s life that can inform such assessments.
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Why you should pursue a wrongful death claim?
Some people may think that it is somehow wrong or that there is no good reason to pursue a wrongful death claim because nothing can be done to bring the person back. However, there certainly are many reasons to pursue a wrongful death claim outside of just seeking monetary compensation, including:
- Holding the person or entity fully accountable – Some people may see it as unfair for the person or entity to act so carelessly and cause so much harm without any sort of accountability. In some cases where death may be egregious, some people may not be able to rest until something is done to at least try to rectify the situation.
- Calling attention to the act before anyone else gets hurt – Some individuals may believe that if they sit back and fail to sound an alarm, someone else might be seriously injured or, worse, also die due to the same dangerous reason.
- Honoring the memory of the deceased – Sometimes the surviving relatives may want to make sure that every question about the death is answered to the best of their ability, especially when the person or entity is not being upfront about the mistake that was made. This is done because they believe it brings honor to their memory and helps them truly understand why it is they passed away.
- Surviving family was dependent on the deceased’s earnings – The death may have cut down a person who was in their prime earning years. In many cases, the person may have dependents that were relying on that income and support which is now lost forever due to their untimely death.
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What is a wrongful death claim?
When a person is killed by the negligence of another, his or her heirs will have to pursue the claim on behalf of the estate of the person killed.
The pursuit of a wrongful death claim requires specific adherence to Arkansas probate law. Often, individuals have attempted to resolve this type of claim on their own only to see the case dismissed due to technical and procedural requirements that must be met.
Additionally, even those working hard to obtain a settlement of their wrongful death claims will have to seek and obtain court approval for disbursements to heirs.
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