{"id":375724,"date":"2016-12-14T12:59:51","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T17:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/ohio-law\/ohio-wrongful-death-laws.html"},"modified":"2018-12-07T16:20:32","modified_gmt":"2018-12-07T21:20:32","slug":"ohio-wrongful-death-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/ohio-law\/ohio-wrongful-death-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Ohio Wrongful Death Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Ohio Wrongful Death Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Losing someone is one of the most emotionally painful events you can experience. It is particularly painful if your loved one died through the suspected negligence or other wrongful act of another person or entity<\/a>. If you find yourself in this situation, you likely have many questions on how to proceed. Below you will find key information about Ohio wrongful death laws including a definition of the tort, the time limit for filing your claim<\/a>, and where to go for more legal information.<\/p>\r\n

Wrongful Death Definition<\/h2>\r\n

Every state has their own statute regarding wrongful death and what a plaintiff must prove in order to be successful in their lawsuit. Ohio\u2019s definition is similar to other states. An Ohio wrongful death claim typically is brought by a family member as a representative of their family for injury damages they have suffered because their loved one died. The key is that the loved one died as a result of someone else\u2019s wrongful action, neglect, or default<\/i>. In essence it is an injury claim being brought by the surviving family of the deceased to recover damages for the untimely death of their family member.<\/p>\r\n

Sometimes these claims arise when another person intentionally killed the family member. A wrongful death action is separate and apart from any criminal action the district attorney may take against the alleged killer. A famous example of a wrongful death suit involved former football star O.J. Simpson<\/a>. Simpson was accused of killing two victims, one of them his wife, but was found "not guilty" at trial. However, the family of the deceased brought a wrongful death lawsuit and was able to win damages at trial. While it didn\u2019t bring their loved ones back to life, it did allow for monetary damages for their pain and suffering.<\/p>\r\n

Types of Wrongful Death Actions in Ohio<\/h2>\r\n

There are a number of different types of wrongful death claims<\/a> that can be brought by a personal representative<\/a> of the family members in Ohio. These include accidents related to:<\/p>\r\n