Toledo Wrongful Death Attorney | Kisling, Nestico & Redick

En esta página

Asistencia jurídica para las personas en duelo

Wrongful Death Attorneys Serving Toledo and Lucas County

The sudden passing of a loved one is devastating. But if your loved one died due to the negligent actions of someone else, you and your family have the right to seek justice, and a Toledo wrongful death attorney can help you pursue it.

While it cannot replace a loved one, financial compensation can help as you return to normalcy and gain a sense of closure. Do not hesitate to contact our knowledgeable Toledo personal injury lawyers. Our wrongful death attorneys have helped many Lucas County families in terribly difficult circumstances, and we can help you through the process too.

Contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick to speak with our compassionate and experienced Toledo wrongful death attorneys today. Call (419) 324-8205 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Un día soleado en Ohio, con coches circulando por una autopista que serpentea hacia el perfil urbano de una ciudad, con edificios altos, frondosos árboles verdes y un cielo azul salpicado de nubes blancas.

Somos abogados galardonados y altamente cualificados

Una insignia con el texto «Best Law Firms, Ranked by Best Lawyers, Estados Unidos, 2026» en letras negras, rojas y grises sobre un fondo con forma de escudo.
Una insignia dorada y roja con el texto «Trucking Top 10 Trial Lawyers» y una imagen de la Dama de la Justicia sosteniendo una balanza en el centro.
Logotipo blanco de «The National Trial Lawyers», en el que aparece una figura de pie sosteniendo una balanza, con el texto «The National Trial Lawyers» y «Top 100 Trial Lawyers» debajo.
Un logotipo circular con una balanza de la justicia dorada en el centro, rodeada por un borde rojo con el texto en blanco «Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum».
Emblema en forma de escudo dorado y negro con la balanza de la justicia, en el que se lee «Los diez mejores abogados especializados en lesiones personales de NAOPIA a nivel nacional» sobre una cinta dorada con estrellas decorativas en la parte inferior.
Logotipo circular en dorado y gris de la Asociación Americana de Abogados Litigantes (ATLA), en el que aparece la silueta de la Justicia sosteniendo una balanza, con las letras «ATLA» en blanco y en grande en el centro.
Hexágono rojo con las letras AV en blanco y grandes en el centro. Debajo se lee, en letras blancas tenues, «PREEMINENT», pero el texto más pequeño que aparece a continuación está borroso y resulta difícil de leer.
En un fondo gris claro se lee «Super Lawyers» en letras grandes y en negrita.
Un logotipo circular con un borde dorado en el que aparece, en el centro, la imagen de la Dama de la Justicia sosteniendo una balanza y una espada, rodeada de franjas azules con la inscripción «The National Trial Lawyers».
Logotipo circular con una balanza de la justicia dorada en el centro sobre un fondo rojo. El anillo exterior negro contiene las palabras «Million Dollar Advocates Forum» en blanco, todas en mayúsculas.

What Counts as Wrongful Death in Ohio

A wrongful death is a death caused by another person’s negligence or wrongful act, the same kind of carelessness that would have supported an injury claim if the person had survived. It might be a driver who ran a red light, a surgeon who missed an obvious warning sign, a property owner who ignored a known hazard, or a company that shipped a defective product. When that failure costs a life, Ohio law lets the family hold them accountable through the civil courts, separate from any criminal case.

The claim is brought by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate, but it exists for the family. The damages compensate the people left behind for what the death took from them.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Toledo, OH?

Unlike a personal injury claim, a wrongful death action seeks damages for the victim’s immediate family. The surviving family members are also considered victims of the act that took the life of a loved one. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2125 states that a wrongful death occurs when someone passes away due to another person’s wrongful act, neglect, or default.

Many people are devastated by unexpected and senseless deaths. However, this does not mean they can pursue a claim for wrongful death. The benefits of a wrongful death suit are not available to friends, distant relatives, or other groups. Instead, a personal representative filing a wrongful death claim seeks damages on behalf of the wrongful death beneficiaries:

  • Spouse of the deceased – Presumed to have suffered loss, without having to prove it.
  • Children of the deceased – Also presumed to have suffered loss, including minor and adult children.
  • Parents of the deceased – Presumed to have suffered loss as well.
  • Other next of kin – Siblings, grandparents, and others who can show the death caused them a real loss.

The personal representative is usually a spouse or adult child named in the will, or appointed by the court if there is no will. When the person who died lived in Lucas County, the estate is opened in Lucas County Probate Court, and the representative is appointed there before the claim can be filed. We handle that step for families as part of the case. If you are wondering about filing a lawsuit on behalf of a loved one, that is where it starts.

More about Ohio Wrongful Death Laws

Fatal Accidents We Handle in Toledo

Thousands of Ohio residents are killed every year through no fault of their own. It is important for your wrongful death attorney to understand how to fully investigate who is responsible. Failure to do this can make it impossible for your family to recover the compensation they deserve. Of the many wrongful death cases we have pursued, these are the most common.

Fatal car and truck crashes on I-75 and I-475

Dozens of people are killed in traffic accidents in the Toledo area every year, many of them in high-speed crashes on I-75 and I-475, though deadly accidents also happen on rural roads and neighborhood streets. Our Toledo car accident lawyers handle the passenger-vehicle cases, and fatal truck accidents bring in federal regulations and multiple defendants that change how the case is built.

Fatal motorcycle accidents

A rider has almost no protection in a collision, and a crash that would be survivable in a car is often fatal on a motorcycle. Fatal motorcycle accidents also run into bias against riders that has to be overcome with evidence.

Fatal pedestrian accidents

Those who travel on foot are sometimes hit by careless car or truck drivers who fail to notice them. This is common in busy areas such as near schools or large venues like Fifth Third Field, and our Toledo pedestrian accident lawyers see the fatal cases too often.

Medical negligence

Malpractice can cause injuries and deaths at any clinic or hospital, including the large facilities Toledo families rely on. A wrongful death from medical negligence requires a lawyer who understands how to investigate the highly technical aspects of your loved one’s unnecessary death, which is the work our Toledo medical malpractice lawyers do.

Nursing home neglect

Falls, bedsores, dehydration, medication errors, and untreated infections kill nursing home residents who were supposed to be under professional care. Our Toledo nursing home abuse lawyers pursue the facilities responsible.

Workplace fatalities

Employers must take reasonable steps to keep their workers safe. When a worker is killed on the job, the family may have a workers’ compensation death claim and, where a third party contributed, a wrongful death claim as well. Our Toledo workers’ compensation lawyers sort out which applies.

Recreational accidents on the Maumee River and Lake Erie, and defective product accidents involving machines, tools, and household devices, round out the cases we see.

How a Toledo Lawyer Can Help After a Wrongful Death

Wrongful death cases can be complex and hard-fought. No matter how your loved one passed, your damages will likely be paid out by the negligent party’s insurance provider.

Insurance companies seek to limit their financial liability and know that wrongful death cases can mean paying out a significant amount to the victims’ families. Therefore, reducing what you accept is in their best interests.

Your lawyer must understand how to build a strong case for the other party’s negligence. In addition, you will not receive an acceptable offer if the other side does not believe you will take them to court. Our Toledo wrongful death attorneys have years of successful negotiation and trial experience, backed by our statewide team of Ohio wrongful death attorneys.

¿Tienes derecho a reclamar una indemnización por muerte por negligencia en Ohio?

Lucha por todo lo que te corresponde

Compensation in Wrongful Death Claims

It is understandable to feel uncertain about what steps to take. Let us help you navigate the entire process.

En KNR contamos con décadas de experiencia y un historial de éxitos en demandas por homicidio culposo. Por ejemplo, conseguimos una indemnización de 150 000 dólares para la familia de un peatón fallecido a causa de un conductor que conducía bajo los efectos del alcohol.

Indemnización por muerte por negligencia

Available damages in a wrongful death case include:

  • Funeral costs – A funeral can cost thousands of dollars, and this sudden expense can put a great deal of financial difficulty on your family.
  • Loss of care and companionship – Ohio law allows the immediate family to seek damages for loss of guidance, counsel, and society if their loved one was taken due to the negligence of another.
  • Economic damages – You may have lost a provider whose income helped the entire family. You can also seek damages for loss of prospective inheritance that you might have received if the person had lived.
  • Pain and anguish – The traumatic emotional suffering that you and your family may be going through can be severe. You have a right to seek damages for this from the responsible party.
  • Survival action on behalf of the deceased – Your loved one who passed away may have had a claim for damages sustained before death. You can seek these damages on their behalf, and they can pay for things like the person’s medical bills that added up before they died.

We can discuss all of the options available to you and how to best recover everything you deserve.

Wrongful Death vs. Survival Action

Families are often surprised to learn that one death can support two claims. A wrongful death claim compensates the family for what the death took from them: the lost income and support, the lost companionship and guidance, the funeral expenses, and their own grief. A survival action belongs to the deceased person. It recovers what your loved one could have claimed if they had lived, such as the pain they suffered between the injury and death and the medical bills that piled up in that time.

The two claims are usually filed together and the money is distributed differently: wrongful death damages go to the family members, while survival actions pay into the estate and pass under the will. Which one carries more value depends on how long your loved one survived after the injury and what their earnings supported. We evaluate both in every case.

Wrongful Death: Statute of Limitations

Ohio law requires you to take legal action within a limited amount of time after the wrongful death. The statute of limitations requires claims to be filed within two years of the victim’s death.

This may seem like a long time to consider your options, but it is really not. Your case can be complex, and your lawyer will have to gather all of the necessary evidence required to build a strong argument for the other party’s responsibility.

The Benefits of Working with KNR’s Wrongful Death Attorneys

Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence is devastating, and pursuing a wrongful death claim in Toledo can feel overwhelming. But you do not have to go through it alone. At Kisling, Nestico & Redick, our Toledo wrongful death lawyers provide compassionate guidance and powerful legal representation rooted in decades of experience. We know what it takes to build a strong case and hold the responsible parties accountable, whether the loss was caused by a fatal car crash, medical negligence, or a defective product.

Our attorneys handle every aspect of your case while you focus on healing. We thoroughly investigate the facts, consult with experts, and pursue full and fair compensation through settlement or litigation. The steps we take include:

  • Investigating the cause of your loved one’s death, including reviewing accident scenes and gathering emergency responder and witness reports
  • Consulting with medical professionals to clearly establish that the death resulted from another party’s negligence or wrongdoing
  • Gathering key evidence such as expert testimony, medical records, and financial documentation to prove liability and the extent of your loss
  • Evaluating the total damages suffered by your family, including funeral expenses, lost income, and emotional suffering
  • Filing claims, managing insurance negotiations, and preparing for trial if necessary
  • Providing regular updates and guidance throughout the legal process, so you are never in the dark about your case
  • Working on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf

Call 1-800-HURT-NOW to talk with us. There is no charge for the conversation.

Concierta tu consulta gratuita

Lesiones personales en Ohio

$1,800,000

Acuerdo de 1 800 000 dólares en un caso de homicidio culposo

KNR logró obtener una indemnización de 1,8 millones de dólares en un caso por homicidio culposo contra The Greater…

Leer más
Cinco personas vestidas de forma profesional están sentadas alrededor de una mesa de reuniones, utilizando ordenadores portátiles y revisando documentos. Al fondo se ven grandes ventanales y vegetación, lo que sugiere un entorno de oficina moderno.

¿Qué hace que KNR sea especial?

Llevamos más de 20 años prestando servicio en Ohio

Desde nuestra fundación en 2005, Kisling, Nestico & Redick se ha dedicado a ayudar a las víctimas de lesiones personales a luchar por la indemnización que se merecen cuando un accidente afecta a su estilo de vida. Hemos ayudado a más de 10 000 personas y estamos dispuestos a seguir luchando por los habitantes de Ohio y por cualquier persona que merezca una indemnización por sus reclamaciones por lesiones personales.

Consultas gratuitas // Disponibles las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana // Si no ganamos, no cobramos

Ponte en contacto con KNR

Ponte en contacto con KNR ahora mismo para iniciar tu caso

Name(Required)

**El hecho de enviar una descripción de su caso o participar en un chat no establece una relación abogado-cliente. No obstante, todo lo que nos comunique será confidencial, incluso si no se convierte en cliente de KNR. Haga clic en el botón «Enviar» que aparece a continuación para confirmar su envío.

¿Qué hace que KNR sea especial?

Our Toledo Wrongful Death Attorneys Can Help

Your family may never be the same after a loved one is taken in an unexpected tragedy. Many residents of northwest Ohio are seriously injured in accidents every day, and some of these injuries prove to be fatal. It can be difficult to know what to do, or to figure out how to cope in the aftermath of a family member’s death.

Our Toledo wrongful death attorneys have helped many people in this terrible situation. We know that your life can become very difficult, and you need to protect your future and those of your loved ones. Do not hesitate to call our office to seek the damages you deserve.

How to Prove a Toledo Wrongful Death Claim

To recover compensation after the wrongful death of a loved one in Toledo, your attorney must clearly prove that another party’s negligence or misconduct directly caused the fatal incident. This involves establishing four critical elements:

  • The at-fault party owed your loved one a duty of care
  • They breached that duty through reckless or careless behavior
  • The breach caused your loved one’s death
  • Your family suffered measurable damages as a result.

At Kisling, Nestico & Redick, our Toledo wrongful death lawyers gather comprehensive evidence, such as police reports, medical records, expert testimony, and financial documentation to build a compelling, well-supported case.

For example, if your loved one was killed in a truck crash on I-75 or a pedestrian accident near downtown Toledo, we would need to show how the other party failed to act responsibly such as by speeding, driving distracted, or ignoring traffic laws, and that this failure directly led to fatal injuries. Your family’s claim may include damages for final medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, and emotional suffering. Many families worry about paying for a funeral after a wrongful death before any claim is resolved; we can talk through the options.

These cases are often complicated by hard-line insurance defense tactics, so having an experienced Toledo attorney on your side ensures you are not pressured into accepting less than what you are owed.

How a Wrongful Death Case Works

Most families have never been through this and want to know what to expect. The path is the same in nearly every case.

  • Investigation – We gather the crash report, medical records, witness accounts, camera footage, and expert opinions while the evidence is still available.
  • Estate setup – A personal representative is appointed through Lucas County Probate Court so the claim can be filed in the estate’s name.
  • Claim – We notify the responsible party’s insurer, document every loss, and present a demand.
  • Negotiation – Most cases resolve here. We negotiate from a position of being ready for trial, which is what moves insurers.
  • Lawsuit – If the offer does not reflect the loss, we file in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas and take the case as far as it needs to go.
  • Distribution – Once the case resolves, the probate court approves how the recovery is divided among the family members.

Toledo Wrongful Death FAQs

How long do I have to file my wrongful death claim?

Under Ohio Rev. Code Section 2125.02, the statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits in Ohio is just two years. If your wrongful death claim is not filed before this deadline, the Lucas County courts will likely refuse to hear your case. This is a limited amount of time to pursue your wrongful death claim. The sooner you get an attorney working for you, the more likely we can gather valuable, time-sensitive evidence that we need to prove liability in your wrongful death insurance and civil claims.

Who can file a wrongful death claim in Ohio?

The personal representative of the deceased person’s estate files the claim. That is usually a spouse or adult child named in the will, or someone the probate court appoints if there is no will. The claim is brought for the benefit of the surviving spouse, children, parents, and other next of kin who suffered a loss.

Do I have to open an estate before filing a wrongful death claim?

Yes. Because the claim is filed in the name of the estate, a personal representative has to be appointed first. When your loved one lived in Lucas County, that happens in Lucas County Probate Court. It is a routine step and we handle it for families as part of the case.

What compensation is available in a Toledo wrongful death case?

Funeral and burial costs, the income and financial support your loved one would have provided, the loss of their care, companionship, and guidance, and the family’s mental anguish. A separate survival action can also recover the pain your loved one suffered and the medical bills that accrued before death.

How are wrongful death damages divided?

No matter who files, any wrongful death damages awarded will typically go to the decedent’s surviving spouse and children first. If the decedent did not have a surviving spouse or children, the decedent’s surviving parents might be entitled to the damages awarded in the wrongful death lawsuit. If other family members can prove to the court that they have endured compensable losses because of the decedent’s passing, they may also be entitled to a portion of the damages awarded in a wrongful death claim. If you have questions regarding how damages are divided, do not hesitate to contact your attorney.

Do you need an autopsy for a wrongful death lawsuit?

No legal requirement states an autopsy is necessary to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. However, an autopsy can provide valuable evidence. It can show the courts how the decedent passed away, which could ultimately point to the defendant. Proving negligence and liability is essential for your wrongful death claim to be successful. If you are still considering whether to obtain an autopsy, be sure to discuss your concerns with your lawyer.

If your family has other questions, call 1-800-HURT-NOW or contact our Toledo office. The consultation is free and there is no obligation.