Slidell Wrongful Death Lawyer

Have you lost a family member due to another party’s negligence in Slidell, LA?

At Kiefer & Kiefer, we handle wrongful death matters with the care and preparation these cases require.

If you have lost a family member because of another party’s negligence, an attorney can help you pursue a wrongful death claim for the losses your family has suffered. Louisiana law permits certain family members to seek recovery for lost earnings, loss of support, medical and funeral expenses, and loss of love, affection, and companionship. Filing deadlines apply, and evidence can be difficult to recover after time has passed.

Our Slidell, LA wrongful death lawyer has represented injured people and their families throughout Louisiana for more than four decades. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation.

Wrongful Death Lawyer Slidell, LA

A wrongful death lawyer represents family members who have lost a loved one because of another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act. Under Louisiana law, only specific family members can bring a wrongful death action, and the class of eligible plaintiffs depends on the deceased’s surviving relatives. The order of preference generally starts with the surviving spouse and children, followed by parents, siblings, and grandparents.

Wrongful death cases often proceed alongside a survival action, which allows recovery for the losses the deceased sustained before death. The two actions are distinct in scope but frequently filed together, and both require prompt investigation and preservation of medical and factual records.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in Slidell

Wrongful death cases in Slidell arise from many kinds of accidents and incidents. The cause of death shapes the medical and factual proof, the potentially responsible parties, and the legal framework that applies. Our firm handles wrongful death claims arising from the situations below.

• Car accidents. Fatal collisions are frequently caused by distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and negligent operation of the vehicle. We investigate the crash and identify each responsible party and insurance policy that may apply.
• 18-wheeler accidents. Commercial truck crashes often involve multiple defendants, including the driver, trucking company, cargo loader, and equipment manufacturer. We review driver logs, safety records, and cargo documentation.
• Motorcycle accidents. Fatal motorcycle crashes involve unique investigation issues, including rider positioning, driver visibility, and reconstruction of the collision. We work with qualified reconstruction professionals in these cases.
• Pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians struck by vehicles often suffer fatal or life-threatening injuries. We investigate driver conduct, roadway design, and lighting conditions to establish fault and identify every applicable insurance policy.
• Bicycle accidents. Cyclists killed by motor vehicles typically have wrongful death claims against the driver and any employer or vehicle owner responsible. Roadway conditions and lane markings can also be part of the investigation.
• Slip and falls. Fatal falls, especially among older adults, often involve premises liability claims against property owners and merchants. We build the case with medical proof and premises inspection records.
• Jones Act claims. Fatal maritime accidents involving seamen and other vessel workers may be brought under federal maritime law rather than Louisiana state law. These claims involve different filing deadlines and burdens of proof.
• Brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries can prove fatal weeks or months after the incident, which complicates causation but does not defeat the claim. We document the mechanism of injury and the chain of medical events leading to death.
• Catastrophic injuries. Some catastrophic injuries prove fatal despite significant medical intervention. When death follows a catastrophic injury, the family may pursue both wrongful death and survival action claims.

Why Choose Kiefer & Kiefer as My Wrongful Death Lawyer in Slidell, LA?

Kiefer & Kiefer has handled wrongful death and personal injury matters in Louisiana for over four decades and has recovered millions of dollars for clients and their families. Wrongful death cases require thorough investigation, careful documentation of the family’s losses, and prompt attention to prescription deadlines. We work with treating physicians, medical examiner records, forensic economists, and accident reconstruction specialists to build a complete record of the death and its financial impact. Several of our attorneys previously represented insurance companies before turning to plaintiff-side work, and that background continues to shape how we anticipate the defense’s approach.

Tulane Law Honors and Trial Experience

Chris Short is a partner at Kiefer & Kiefer. He graduated magna cum laude from Tulane Law School, where he served as Senior Associate Editor of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal. Chris has been recognized by Super Lawyers and is licensed to practice in both Louisiana and Florida. His practice includes personal injury and insurance defense work, giving him a two-sided view of how these cases are evaluated and defended. Our work as a personal injury lawyer in Slidell, LA includes representing families who have lost a loved one to another party’s negligence throughout St. Tammany Parish.

What Is Important to Understand About a Wrongful Death Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Cases

Under Louisiana law, wrongful death damages compensate the surviving family for the losses they suffered because of the death. The specific losses recognized in these cases include:

• Loss of the financial support the deceased would have provided.
• Loss of household services the deceased performed for the family.
• Loss of love, affection, companionship, and society.
• Mental anguish and emotional suffering of the surviving family members.
• Medical expenses connected to the fatal injury.
• Funeral and burial costs.

A survival action, which is a separate claim, allows recovery for the pain, suffering, medical expenses, and other losses the deceased sustained before death. Both claims may be brought together. Louisiana applies comparative fault, and if the deceased’s own conduct contributed to the incident, recovery may be reduced or, for accidents on or after January 1, 2026, barred when the deceased’s share of fault reaches 51 percent. The types of damages available in a wrongful death case depend on the deceased’s family circumstances and the facts of the incident.

What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Case?

Wrongful death claims involve specific legal issues that do not arise in typical personal injury matters. Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.2 sets out who may bring a wrongful death action, and that class of eligible plaintiffs depends on the deceased’s surviving relatives. Several issues distinguish these cases:

• Standing to bring the wrongful death action is limited to the surviving spouse and children, or if none, the surviving parents, siblings, or grandparents in that order.
• A survival action can be brought alongside a wrongful death action, but each claim has its own damage elements.
• Medical examiner records, autopsy reports, and treating physician records are central to establishing causation and the extent of the deceased’s suffering before death.
• Insurance coverage often falls short of the actual losses, and we identify every applicable policy including umbrella, employer, and homeowner or renter coverage.
• Any communications the family posts on social media can be used to argue about the family’s relationship with the deceased and the extent of their loss.

According to CDC data, unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death in the United States, and preserving the incident and medical records supports the causation and damage elements of these claims.

What Is the Wrongful Death Case Timeline?

Wrongful death case timelines vary based on complexity, insurance issues, and whether liability is disputed. Most matters move through these phases:

• Investigation of the incident, including scene evidence, records, and witness identification.
• Confirmation of the class of eligible plaintiffs under Louisiana law.
• Consultation with treating physicians, medical examiners, and forensic economists.
• Filing suit within the applicable prescription period when the defense will not offer fair resolution.
• Discovery, depositions, and case preparation for trial.
• Settlement negotiations or trial before a jury.

Settling before the full scope of losses is documented can leave family members without adequate compensation.

What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Consultation?

A first meeting is more useful with certain records available, though nothing is required to schedule the consultation. Where possible, gather:

• The death certificate and any incident, accident, or police report.
• Medical records related to the fatal injury or illness.
• Employment records for the deceased, including pay stubs and tax returns.
• Names and contact information for witnesses to the incident.
• Insurance information for the deceased and for any responsible party.
• Photographs or video of the scene, vehicle, or equipment involved.

The consultation is free, and your family pays nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

What Are Important Louisiana Legal Resources for Wrongful Death Cases?

Louisiana law governs wrongful death claims, and the framework has been updated in recent years. The materials below are the authoritative starting points for anyone reviewing the current rules directly.

• The right to bring a wrongful death action and the class of eligible plaintiffs are set out in La. C.C. Art. 2315.2, which also sets a prescription period of one year from the death of the deceased or two years from the day injury or damage is sustained, whichever is longer.
• Survival actions, which allow the family to recover for pre-death damages the deceased suffered, are governed by La. C.C. Art. 2315.1.
• The general negligence and damages framework is codified at La. C.C. Art. 2315.
• Louisiana’s comparative fault rules are set out in La. C.C. Art. 2323, and a modified 51 percent bar applies to accidents on or after January 1, 2026.

Reach Out to Kiefer & Kiefer to Schedule a Consultation

If your family has lost a loved one because of another party’s negligence, we can help you understand your legal options under Louisiana wrongful death and survival action law. Our firm accepts wrongful death cases on a contingency fee, meaning your family pays nothing unless we obtain a recovery. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our Slidell wrongful death attorney.