Edmond Wrongful Death Attorneys

Are You in Need of a Wrongful Death Lawyer?

Losing a family member unexpectedly can leave survivors facing grief, unanswered questions, and financial uncertainty. When another person’s negligence or wrongful conduct caused the death, Oklahoma law may provide a way to pursue accountability and compensation through a wrongful death claim.

The Edmond wrongful death lawyers at Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC represent families who have suffered a tragic loss. A wrongful death claim or lawsuit can provide a legal mechanism for investigating the circumstances, holding responsible parties accountable, and seeking compensation for losses resulting from a preventable death.

Families may want to consult an attorney after a fatal event involving:

• A negligent or reckless driver
• A commercial trucking company or truck driver
• Suspected medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse or neglect
• A dangerous or defective consumer product
• A pedestrian collision
• A motorcycle crash
• Another preventable accident caused by negligent conduct

Why Choose Us Over Other Wrongful Death Attorneys in Edmond?

If your family is struggling with the aftermath of a loved one’s wrongful death, you’ll want to find an attorney who knows how to thoroughly develop the evidence and pursue accountability.

At Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC, our attorneys carefully investigate the circumstances surrounding a death, identify potentially responsible parties, and determine what compensation may be available to surviving family members.

We prepare claims with litigation in mind, and we are ready to pursue a case in court when a fair resolution cannot be reached. Throughout the process, we provide attentive representation while helping families understand their rights and legal options.

Here’s what sets our firm apart:

• Dedicated to pursuing justice for injured clients, advocating for accountability and seeking fair compensation for the losses caused by negligence or wrongful conduct.
• Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive organization recognizing attorneys who have achieved substantial results for clients in significant cases.
• Rated Superb by Avvo, reflecting professional experience, peer reviews, industry recognition, and a strong commitment to providing dependable representation.
• Focused on personalized, attentive client service, taking time to understand each client’s circumstances, answer questions, and provide guidance throughout every stage of a case.
• Recognized among the Top 100 Trial Attorneys in Oklahoma by The National Trial Lawyers, highlighting distinguished qualifications, accomplishments, and dedication to trial advocacy.
• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards, reflecting significant professional recognition within the legal community.

Hold Negligent Parties Accountable

When wrongdoing causes a loved one’s death, surviving family members may have legal options. Call (405) 705-5050 for a free consultation.

What Is a Wrongful Death in Oklahoma?

A wrongful death refers to a death caused by another party's wrongful act or omission under circumstances that may create legal responsibility. A wrongful death case must establish the legal basis for holding another person, business, healthcare provider, or other entity responsible. A wrongful death claim may allow eligible surviving family members to pursue compensation for certain financial and personal losses resulting from their loved one’s death.

What Types of Compensation Are Available?

Compensation in an Oklahoma wrongful death case depends on the circumstances surrounding the death, the losses suffered by surviving family members, and applicable law. Because every family’s situation is different, damages must be evaluated based on the specific facts of the case.

Potential compensation may include:

• Medical expenses associated with the injuries and treatment preceding the person’s death.
• Funeral and burial expenses and other qualifying costs resulting from the death.
• Lost earnings and financial support the deceased person would have provided to surviving family members.
• Loss of companionship and other personal losses resulting from the death of a spouse, parent, child, or other qualifying family member.
• Grief and emotional losses that may be recoverable by surviving family members under Oklahoma law.
• Other damages based on the wrongful conduct involved, when the circumstances and applicable law support additional recovery.

Accurately evaluating potential compensation requires considering both the circumstances of the death and its long-term effects on surviving family members. An attorney can gather relevant documentation and, when appropriate, work with qualified professionals to evaluate financial and other legally recoverable losses.

How a Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help

An Edmond wrongful death attorney can guide families through the legal process while protecting their rights and pursuing accountability from responsible parties. Legal representation can also reduce the burden on families by managing the investigation, documentation, negotiations, and other requirements involved in a claim.

A lawyer can also:

• Preserve evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
• Obtain relevant records and documentation.
• Interview witnesses.
• Work with appropriate experts.
• Investigate applicable insurance coverage.
• Identify legally responsible individuals and businesses.
• Document the family's damages.
• Handle communications with insurance companies.
• Negotiate toward an appropriate settlement.
• Prepare the case for litigation and trial when necessary.

What’s the Legal Process for a Wrongful Death Claim?

The legal process for a wrongful death claim involves investigating the death, identifying responsible parties, documenting losses, and pursuing an appropriate resolution.

1. Investigate the fatal event. An Edmond personal injury attorney can gather and review evidence such as accident reports, medical records, photographs, videos, witness statements, employment records, and corporate documents.
2. Identify the responsible parties. The investigation can help determine which individuals, businesses, healthcare providers, or other entities may bear legal responsibility for the death.
3. Evaluate the family’s losses. Financial records, medical bills, employment information, and other documentation may be collected to determine the damages resulting from the death.
4. Present the claim and pursue negotiations. The claim may be submitted to responsible parties and their insurers. Depending on the circumstances, the parties may attempt to reach a settlement without going to trial.
5. File a wrongful death lawsuit when necessary. If an appropriate resolution cannot be reached, the attorney may file a lawsuit in accordance with Oklahoma’s requirements for wrongful death actions.
6. Conduct discovery and prepare for trial. During litigation, both sides may exchange evidence, conduct depositions, address technical matters with qualified professionals, and file motions with the court.
7. Proceed to trial if the case does not settle. When negotiations do not result in an appropriate settlement, the case may proceed to trial, where the evidence and arguments can be presented.

Your Family Deserves Accountability

We represent families pursuing accountability after preventable deaths caused by negligence or wrongful conduct. Call (405) 705-5050 to discuss your case.

Types of Accidents That Cause Wrongful Death

Wrongful death claims can result from many forms of negligence. Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC's practice areas include several categories in which injuries can become fatal.

Auto Collisions

Fatal auto collisions can result from speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, unsafe turns, failure to yield, reckless driving, and other negligent conduct. An Edmond car accident lawyer may examine police reports, witness accounts, photographs, electronic data, phone records, and other available evidence to determine how the collision occurred.

Trucking Accidents

Potential causes of truck accidents can include negligent driving, driver fatigue, inadequate vehicle maintenance, unsafe company practices, or other failures. Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties may include the truck driver, trucking company, or other businesses involved in the truck's operation.

Medical Malpractice

Fatal medical malpractice may occur when a healthcare professional's failure to meet the applicable standard of care causes or contributes to a patient's death. These cases can involve delayed diagnoses, failures to diagnose serious conditions, surgical errors, anesthesia mistakes, medication errors, birth injuries, or failures to recognize and treat a deteriorating patient's condition.

Medical malpractice wrongful death claims can be particularly complex because causation may be disputed when the patient already had a serious illness. Medical records and qualified expert analysis can play central roles in determining whether negligent care contributed to the death.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

Nursing home neglect and abuse fatalities may involve failures to provide adequate supervision, nutrition, hydration, hygiene, repositioning, medication, or necessary medical treatment. A wrongful death investigation may examine staffing, care plans, medical records, incident reports, facility policies, witness accounts, and other evidence to determine whether preventable neglect or abuse contributed to the resident's death.

Pedestrian Accidents

A pedestrian accident may result from distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, impaired driving, unsafe turns, or other negligent conduct. Determining liability may require examining the collision location, traffic controls, lighting conditions, vehicle damage, witness accounts, surveillance footage, and other evidence.

Motorcycle Accidents

Fatal motorcycle accidents can occur when motorists fail to see riders, make unsafe lane changes, turn into a motorcycle's path, follow too closely, speed, or violate other traffic laws. Insurance companies may attempt to dispute responsibility after a motorcycle collision.

Defective Products

A manufacturer, distributor, or other potentially responsible company may face a claim when a dangerously defective product causes a fatal injury. Cases can involve defective vehicle components, machinery, consumer goods, medical products, or other dangerous items. Product-related claims may focus on problems with a product's design, manufacturing, or warnings, depending on the facts and applicable law.

Case Results

$6,190,000 Jury Verdict - Failure to diagnose resulting in wrongful death

$2,250,000 Settlement - Motorcyclist killed a drunk driver

$2,500,000 Settlement - Motorists fatally struck by a semi-truck driver

What Clients Are Saying About Us

I could not recommend them more-Stephanie Roberts

Ray and his team helped my family during a very difficult time. We are so grateful for their knowledge and professionalism. Someone was always available to talk to me and answer any questions I had and I was always kept in the loop on next steps. I could not recommend them more.

May God bless you always-Lillie & Family

I really appreciated all your hard work and your kindness shown to me and my children during all these trying times. Continue your good work and may God bless you always. Did not want to seem ungrateful. You are an excellent lawyer.

Talk to an Experienced Edmond Wrongful Death Lawyer

If you believe negligence or wrongful conduct caused your family member's death, contact Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC and schedule a free consultation.

Call (405) 705-5050 to find out how we can help.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wrongful Death Claims in Oklahoma

What is a wrongful death claim?

A wrongful death claim may arise when a person dies because of another party’s negligence, wrongful act, or other legally actionable conduct. The claim allows eligible parties to pursue accountability and compensation for losses associated with the death.

Who can be responsible for a wrongful death?

Liability depends on how the death occurred. Potentially responsible parties may include negligent drivers, trucking companies, healthcare providers, hospitals, nursing homes, product manufacturers, property owners, employers, or other individuals and businesses.

What accidents can lead to wrongful death claims?

Wrongful death cases can result from car crashes, trucking accidents, motorcycle collisions, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect or abuse, defective products, and other incidents involving negligent or wrongful conduct.

What compensation is available in a wrongful death case?

Recoverable damages may address certain financial and non-economic losses associated with the death, including qualifying medical expenses, lost financial contributions, and other legally recognized losses.

How do you prove a wrongful death claim?

A successful claim generally requires evidence establishing that another party’s wrongful conduct caused or contributed to the death. Your attorney will collect evidence that may include accident reports, medical records, photographs, video footage, witness testimony, corporate records, and expert opinions.

Can medical malpractice cause wrongful death?

Yes. A potential wrongful death claim may arise when negligent medical care causes or contributes to a patient’s death. Examples can include diagnostic errors, surgical mistakes, medication errors, anesthesia mistakes, and failures to appropriately treat a deteriorating patient.

Can nursing home neglect cause wrongful death?

Nursing home neglect or abuse can potentially lead to fatal falls, infections, sepsis, severe pressure wounds, dehydration, malnutrition, medication complications, and other life-threatening conditions.

Meet Our Attorneys

Ray Maples

Ray Maples represents people and families who have been affected by catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, nursing home neglect and abuse, trucking accidents, serious car collisions, and defective products. Ray began his legal career at an Atlanta firm representing corporations and insurance companies in personal injury litigation. That experience ultimately led him to focus his career on representing injured individuals against powerful opponents. Ray’s practice centers on helping people navigate serious injuries and devastating losses while pursuing appropriate legal remedies.

Christian M. Zeaman

Christian M. Zeaman is an Oklahoma attorney with decades of legal experience representing clients throughout the state. Early in his career, he gained extensive courtroom experience while working with a criminal defense firm, including assisting with capital murder trials. Christian founded his own practice in 2005 to provide clients with more direct and personal representation. In 2012, he expanded his practice to represent people injured by the wrongful conduct of others. His work has includes car accident, dram shop, slip-and-fall, and invasion-of-privacy cases.

Joseph Albert

Joseph Albert represents individuals and families in cases involving catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, nursing home neglect and abuse, trucking accidents, serious car collisions, and defective products. Raised in Elk City, Oklahoma, Joseph learned the importance of hard work, accountability, and looking out for others. He approaches every case with disciplined preparation, strategic thinking, attention to detail, and clear communication.

Rilee Harrison

Rilee Harrison is a trial lawyer focused on representing individuals and families who have suffered serious injuries. His approach to personal injury law centers on preparing each case as though it may ultimately proceed to trial. Rilee emphasizes developing evidence carefully, working closely with medical providers, and building claims thoroughly from the beginning. He believes strong preparation can put clients in a better position when dealing with insurance companies and other defendants.