Wrongful Death Attorney in St. Louis, Missouri

Families of workers who have died as a result of a fatal workplace accident or because of occupational exposure to a hazardous work environment in Missouri are entitled to seek death benefits through the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage.

Conditions Under Which a Survivor May Apply for Death Benefits

• The employee dies as an immediate result of an accident on the job.

• The employee returns to work with a partial disability following an accident, but subsequently dies.

• The employee is unable to return to work after suffering a permanent work-related total disability and dies from any cause, either related or unrelated to the work injury.

Who Qualifies to Receive Benefits?

Surviving spouses will receive two-thirds of the decedent’s average weekly pay for life, calculated over the previous 52 weeks of employment. Children (up to and including the age of 18) qualify to receive a similar amount to be divided equally among them. Under specific circumstances, children over 18 may continue to receive the benefits up to the age of 22.

Death Due to Occupational Exposure

To qualify for death benefits, your loved one did not have to die in an accident or because of injuries related to an accident on the job. The surviving spouse and children of a worker who dies as a result of a diagnosed medical condition resulting from occupational exposure (such as mesothelioma or silicosis) may also qualify.

Wrongful Death Litigation

In most cases, receiving benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation plan means you forfeit the right to sue for additional compensation if negligence was the direct result of the fatal accident or medical condition resulting in death. However, you may sue the party who is held directly responsible for causing the accident or death. These are referred to as third-party personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits and can often result in a significant recovery of financial damages. I am ready to aggressively advocate on your behalf to help you and your family recover the full amount of financial compensation you are entitled to.

Experienced Workers’ Compensation Lawyer — Compassionate Advocacy

If you lost your loved one because of a work-related injury or exposure to a hazardous work environment in Missouri, call me, attorney Mark E. Moreland. For more than 33 years, injured workers and their families have been trusting me to serve as their compassionate advocate to help them receive the benefits they need and deserve for their injuries or the death of a loved one.

Call me locally in St. Louis from any location. You may also contact my office by email to arrange an opportunity to share your story. I offer a free consultation and charge no attorney fees if I cannot help your family receive the death benefits you are entitled to.