Wrongful Death

In Tennessee, when a person’s death is caused by the negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct of another person or entity, or by the use of a defective product, the surviving family members may bring a claim of “wrongful death.” The representatives of a deceased’s estate may also bring wrongful death claims. Thorough such a claim, those who were harmed by the person’s death can seek compensation for a variety of losses, including

  • medical and funeral costs
  • loss of the wages or benefits (such as retirement benefits) that the deceased would have earned over the course of his/her lifetime
  • loss of consortium (from a spouse)
  • loss of companionship, protection, nurturing, advice, and other similar benefits.

Wrongful death claims may arise in a wide variety of contexts, such as car accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, and slip-and-fall incidents.

If you are a relative of a person who died, and you believe that your loved one’s death was caused, at least in part, by someone else’s wrongful conduct, you should consult an experienced personal injury attorney right away. In Tennessee, in almost all cases, wrongful death claims must be brought within one year of the date when the death occurred. In addition, the sooner an investigation begins, the more likely it is to uncover useful evidence about the causes of your loved one’s death.

For most bereaved family members, the first year after a death in the family is one of shock and adjustment. The economic ramifications of the loss may not become clear right away, and may be eclipsed by the family’s focus on other aspects of their loss. However, by retaining an attorney you can trust, an attorney with experience in Tennessee wrongful death cases, you can protect your rights to the financial compensation that might help in the transition to a new phase in the family’s life.

Maryville Personal Injury Attorney Mark C. Hartsoe has been representing clients in wrongful death cases for more than 27 years, in Blount County and throughout Tennessee. He is dedicated to pursuing maximum compensation for his clients, while providing high-quality, personalized legal services in each case that he handles. The Hartsoe Law Firm has offices in Blount County as well as in Knoxville, Tennessee.

If you would like to discuss a potential wrongful death claim with Mr. Hartsoe, please contact us today by calling 865-804-1011, or filling out and submitting our online “Contact Us” form.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
Mark: We would like to thank you for all the hard work you put in winning our medical malpractice lawsuit. The money we were awarded will certainly change our lives. The fact that you never treated us like clients but instead like friends meant so much to us. Again from our hearts we say thank you. Client
★★★★★
The Peroulas family and I deeply appreciate your help and expertise. Although I am certain that it would have been most enjoyable to work with you on the trial, my clients are happy with what they and I believe to be a very favorable settlement, thanks in large part to your guidance. James S. Tipton, Jr.
★★★★★
We appreciate the great job that you did on our case. You watched out for our interest even before you took our case. Mark Hartsoe did a wonderful job. He showed great expertise as he went up against a multi-national corporation with multiple lawyers. He had a thorough understanding of the many details and events that occurred. We were especially impressed with his skill during mediation. Mark’s PowerPoint presentation was excellent, overwhelming the opposition. It was refreshing to work with someone who does what he says he will and truly had our best interest in mind. Thank you for everything. Dennis and Julie Greene
★★★★★
Just a short note to let you know we appreciate all of your hard work! Rhonda and Mike Cherrin
★★★★★
We would very much appreciate it if you would be so kind as to e-mail to our office the Powerpoint presentation that you made at the commencement of the mediation. Our General Manger was very impressed and would like to show it to the CEO and may in turn show it to other corporate personnel as an example of what can happen to the same or similar case when placed in the hands of an excellent lawyer such as Mark Hartsoe. William T. Wray