Hiring a Wrongful Death Attorney Means Looking for a Lawyer Who Won’t Make You Choose Between Feeling Heard and Feeling Confident
Death, no matter its cause, always takes a harsh toll—but its effects can last longer and hit harder when it takes a loved one before their time and in an accident that could easily have been averted.
Since our founding in 2007, the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop has helped families fight for closure and accountability. Matt understands that deciding to file a wrongful death claim can be difficult and strives to give clients representation that combines compassionate counsel with an aggressive legal strategy backed by decades of experience and a proven record of success.
Read more to learn how your choice of attorney affects your claim, or contact us today to speak to an attorney and begin planning your family’s next steps.
The Role of Representation in Wrongful Death Claims
How Lawyers Help Families Fight for Closure
Nobody wants to find themselves in a position to file a wrongful death lawsuit, but it is often necessary.
For many families, going to court may be the only way to collect damages and:
- Protect their financial future
- Recover the costs of a loved one’s end-of-life care
- Cover the costs of an unplanned funeral and expensive burial
- Stand up to an insurance company that’s more concerned with income than integrity
Since the consequences of a catastrophic accident often involve loss on so many levels, claims can quickly become complicated.
Why Good Attorneys Fight for More Than a Paycheck
Wrongful death attorneys want to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients. Matt Lathrop does this by:
- Anticipating legal obstacles before they arise
- Leading the investigations needed to establish a defendant’s fault, even if they were never charged with a crime
- Assessing your damages and consulting experts to ensure your recovery includes the resources you need now and which you might need later
However, the best wrongful death lawyers understand that success isn’t just measured in money. It is, instead, a metric that is best defined by you—by the weight of your grief, the reasons you’ve decided to sue, and the goals you set before taking your case to court. This may mean prioritizing a rapid resolution or pressuring a multibillion-dollar trucking company to change its policies to prevent further tragedies.
Finding the Right Lawyer: What to Look For and What to Ask
You have a lot at stake. The outcome of your wrongful death case can make a significant difference to your family. Accordingly, finding the right wrongful death lawyer for you is critical.
Three Qualities to Look for in a Wrongful Death Lawyer
Do your due diligence to avoid inadvertently signing your rights away.
If you don’t know where to start with a search, ask your friends, relatives, or coworkers if they know a wrongful death lawyer. Positive referrals still warrant investigation, but they can be helpful.
If word-of-mouth isn’t sufficient, take your time looking through websites. Look for information that highlights the attorney’s:
- Experience. Every practicing attorney has gone to law school and passed their state’s bar exam, but that doesn’t mean every lawyer has the experience needed to fight and win your wrongful death claim.
- Compassion. Your case is about much more than an attorney’s paycheck. For many families, a lawsuit is the only way to obtain accountability and closure. If your lawyer isn’t compassionate or willing to consider your goals in filing a claim, they may prove difficult to work with long-term.
- Results. Look for a wrongful death lawyer whose record of success gives you confidence.
Attorneys with the right combination of experience, compassion, and results won’t bury their results on a webpage or avoid questions about their achievements.
Five Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Wrongful Death Attorney in Nebraska or Iowa
Nebraska and Iowa wrongful death attorneys usually offer free consultations.
Five of the most important questions prospective clients can ask during their first meeting with a potential lawyer include:
- Do you think I have standing and cause to file a wrongful death lawsuit?
- How much experience do you have handling wrongful death claims?
- What types of wrongful death cases do you typically take?
- If you accept my case, who’s going to represent me—you or another lawyer?
- What is your fee structure, and will I be responsible for any other costs?
Your initial consultation gives your lawyer a chance to familiarize themselves with the facts of your case—and provides you with a good opportunity to ask case-specific questions about your claim’s strengths and the obstacles you might encounter after filing a lawsuit.