Rockford Wrongful Death Lawyers

Ensuring justice for your loved one

The death of a family member is devastating, and that grief becomes harder to bear when the loss could have been prevented. If someone else’s carelessness or wrongful conduct caused your loved one’s death, Illinois law gives your family a path toward accountability and compensation. That path involves specific legal requirements, evidence that can disappear quickly, and deadlines that will not wait for you to be ready. Going over your options with a wrongful death attorney now protects your family’s rights later.

Brassfield & Krueger was founded more than seventy years ago on a simple principle: leave no stone unturned for injury victims. Our attorneys have earned recognition as Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Illinois, and we have built a reputation for aggressive representation and strong results. When a family comes to us after losing someone they love, we combine that experience with a straightforward evaluation of the case, so you know where things stand from the start.

Who We Help After a Wrongful Death

A wrongful death occurs when someone dies because of another person’s negligence or wrongful actions. These losses happen in many different situations, but at Brassfield & Krueger, we most often work with:

• Families who lost someone in a fatal vehicle accident. A loved one died in a car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, bicycle, rideshare, commercial vehicle, or other traffic-related crash. Your family needs help understanding what caused the accident, whether another driver or company may be responsible, and what options may be available after a fatal collision.
• Families who lost someone in a workplace, construction, or industrial accident. A loved one died in a construction site, warehouse, factory, jobsite, transportation, or other work-related accident. You may have questions about employer safety failures, contractors, equipment, third-party responsibility, or whether more than one company contributed to what happened.
• Families who lost someone because of unsafe property, a defective product, or intentional harm. A loved one died because of a dangerous property condition, drowning hazard, defective product, failed safety device, unsafe equipment, negligent security issue, assault, violent act, or another preventable danger. You want to understand whether a property owner, manufacturer, business, individual, or another party may be responsible.
• Families who need answers about what happened or who may be responsible. A loved one died suddenly or unexpectedly, and your family does not yet know exactly what happened or whether someone’s negligence contributed to the death. You may need help reviewing accident reports, medical records, witness accounts, video, safety records, insurance information, or other evidence before important details disappear.

Right now, as you are still absorbing this loss, you may be fielding insurance company calls, covering funeral costs, managing medical bills, dealing with the loss of household income or support, tracking legal deadlines, and trying to figure out who even has the right to bring a claim. Our attorneys are ready to step in and take that weight off your shoulders.

What You Need to Know About Wrongful Death Claims

What Compensation Can Your Family Seek?

No amount of money can replace your loved one. Compensation can, however, ease some of the burdens your family now carries. We won’t waver in our pursuit of compensation for the financial and emotional tolls of your loss, including:

• Funeral and medical bills associated with the death and the deceased’s last illness
• Loss of earnings for the family and benefits, including insurance and pension
• Punitive damages meant to prevent further wrongful death from occurring
• Loss of society, meaning companionship or protection
• Pain and suffering of the survivors associated with the death

Every wrongful death case is different, and we will work to account for what your family has experienced.

How We Build a Strong Claim for Your Family

When you file a wrongful death claim, the other side’s representatives typically hire investigators to recover and preserve evidence in their favor. Our attorneys conduct a thorough investigation of our own. Depending on your situation, this may include work to:

• Preserve physical evidence, including debris and photographs
• Gather witness statements
• Review evidence related to the incident
• Address claims made by the opposing party’s investigators
• Document the financial and emotional losses experienced by surviving family members

Our goal throughout this process is to establish who is responsible and back your claim with evidence strong enough to hold up under scrutiny.

Why Let Us Support You After the Loss of a Loved One?

During such a painful time, you do not need a legal process that adds to your stress and heartache. The wrongful death attorney your family chooses directly affects how you get through this experience and what you ultimately recover. Families choose to work with our attorneys at Brassfield & Krueger because:

• We do not get paid unless we win. You owe us nothing upfront, and we only collect a fee if we secure compensation for your family.
• We are local, not a distant firm. We live and work in the communities we serve, and we have spent decades building relationships here.
• We are fearless. We push to get you what your family needs, and we will not rush toward a fast settlement just to close a file.
• We are skilled in both litigation and negotiation. Whether your case settles at the table or needs to go before a judge, we are prepared either way.
• We have proven results. We have secured million-dollar settlements for our clients, and our average settlement significantly outpaces the industry averages reported by other firms.

When your family is ready to take action, we are ready to stand behind you every step of the way.

Get Answers About Your Loved One’s Death

Your family deserves answers about what happened and who should be held responsible. At Brassfield & Krueger, we will investigate the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death, protect the evidence that matters, and pursue the claim on your family’s behalf. If you believe someone else’s actions caused your loss, let us review what happened and help you understand what your family can do next.

FAQs About Illinois Wrongful Death Claims