Tulsa Wrongful Death Lawyer

Wrongful death lawyers who pursue full recovery for surviving families throughout Tulsa and the surrounding area.

If your family has lost a loved one due to the negligent or wrongful conduct of another party, our Tulsa, OK wrongful death lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and pursue the compensation your family is entitled to under Oklahoma law. Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys has represented surviving families in wrongful death matters for nearly two decades, and our attorneys approach these cases with both the rigorous legal preparation they demand and the sensitivity they deserve.

Wrongful Death Lawyer Tulsa, OK

A Tulsa wrongful death lawyer represents the surviving family members of individuals who died as a result of another party’s negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct. Under Oklahoma law, designated surviving relatives have the right to bring a civil wrongful death claim against the party or parties responsible for their loved one’s death and to seek compensation for the full range of losses the family has suffered. These claims are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from the same incident and are pursued through the civil court system.

Wrongful death cases in Tulsa arise from a wide variety of circumstances, including fatal motor vehicle accidents, trucking collisions, workplace injuries, premises liability incidents, and medical negligence. The steps involved in bringing a wrongful death claim can be complex, and the time period in which a claim must be filed is strictly limited under Oklahoma law. Families who have suffered this kind of loss deserve counsel with the experience and resources to handle every aspect of the case.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in Tulsa

Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys handles wrongful death claims arising from a broad range of fatal accidents and incidents, including:

• Car Accidents: Car accidents are among the leading causes of wrongful death claims in Oklahoma. When a collision results in a fatality due to another driver’s negligence, speeding, distracted driving, or impairment, surviving family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim for their losses, including funeral expenses, lost financial support, and grief and loss of companionship.
• Truck Accidents: Crashes involving semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles are particularly likely to result in fatal injuries given the size and weight disparity involved. These cases frequently require investigation into the conduct of the driver, the trucking company, and other parties in the chain of liability.
• Slip and Fall Accidents: Deaths resulting from dangerous property conditions, including falls, structural failures, inadequate security, and swimming pool accidents, may give rise to wrongful death claims against the property owner or occupier. Establishing that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition is often central to these cases.
• Workplace Accidents: When a fatal workplace accident results from the negligence of a third party, such as an equipment manufacturer, a contractor, or a property owner, surviving family members may have the right to pursue a civil wrongful death claim in addition to any workers’ compensation benefits available.
• Dog Bites: Oklahoma’s strict liability dog bite statute may support a wrongful death claim when a fatal animal attack occurs. The owner of the animal may be held liable for the death without requiring proof that the owner had prior knowledge of the animal’s dangerous propensities.
• Boating and Recreational Vehicle Accidents: Fatal accidents occurring on Oklahoma’s lakes and waterways, or involving ATVs, golf carts, and other recreational vehicles, can give rise to wrongful death claims when the cause of the accident involves the negligence of another party. Our attorneys handle these matters across a range of outdoor and recreational settings.
• Medical Negligence: When a healthcare provider’s failure to meet the applicable standard of care results in a patient’s death, the surviving family may have a wrongful death claim grounded in medical malpractice. These cases require careful expert analysis of the medical decisions made and the departures from accepted practice that caused the fatal outcome.

Why Choose Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys as My Wrongful Death Lawyer in Tulsa, OK?

Serious Injury and Wrongful Death Representation Rooted in Oklahoma

Patrick Wandres has focused his practice on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters for nearly two decades. Our personal injury lawyer in Tulsa, OK handles the full range of serious injury and wrongful death claims, including those arising from auto accidents, semi-truck collisions, boating accidents, dog attacks, and other catastrophic incidents. He earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, twelve consecutive years of recognition as a Super Lawyer in personal injury, Top 100 Attorney designation from the National Trial Lawyers Association every year since 2012, and membership in the Oklahoma Association for Justice.

Brandy Wandres brings substantial trial experience to the firm’s wrongful death practice, having taken numerous cases through jury verdict over the course of her career. Ms. Wandres has held a Rising Star attorney designation from Oklahoma Super Lawyers since 2012, and her background in contested litigation informs the firm’s approach to building and presenting complex wrongful death claims. Together the attorneys at Wandres Law bring over 70 years of combined legal experience to every matter they handle.

A Record of Results for Injured Clients and Surviving Families

Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys has helped injured clients and surviving families throughout Oklahoma recover millions of dollars in compensation across a wide range of personal injury and wrongful death matters. The firm prepares every case with the same thoroughness, regardless of the circumstances or the parties involved.

No Attorney Fees Unless Compensation Is Recovered

Wrongful death cases at Wandres Law are handled on a contingency fee basis. Families pay no attorney fees unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf, ensuring that the cost of legal representation is never a barrier to pursuing justice for a loved one.

Tulsa Wrongful Death Infographic

Understanding Wrongful Death Cases

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Cases

To establish liability in a Tulsa wrongful death case, the surviving family must demonstrate that the defendant owed the deceased a duty of care, that the defendant breached that duty through negligent or wrongful conduct, and that the breach directly caused the death. When liability is established, Oklahoma wrongful death law permits surviving family members to seek compensation for a broad range of losses, including:

• Funeral and burial expenses: The immediate costs associated with the death, including funeral services, burial or cremation, and related expenses, are recoverable as economic damages in a wrongful death claim.
• Loss of financial support: Surviving family members who depended on the deceased for financial support may recover damages representing the income and economic contributions the deceased would have provided over the course of their expected working life. This is often one of the most significant components of a wrongful death recovery.
• Grief, loss of companionship, and mental anguish: Oklahoma law recognizes the profound non-economic losses suffered by surviving spouses, children, and parents, including the grief of losing a loved one, the loss of companionship and guidance, and the emotional suffering that accompanies that loss.
• Medical expenses incurred before death: If the deceased received medical treatment following the incident that ultimately caused their death, the medical expenses incurred during that period are recoverable as part of the wrongful death claim.
• Loss of the deceased’s services and contributions: The value of services the deceased provided to the household and family, including childcare, home maintenance, and other contributions that must now be replaced, is a compensable element of wrongful death damages.
• Punitive damages: In cases where the conduct responsible for the death was particularly egregious or involved a conscious disregard for the safety of others, Oklahoma law may permit an award of punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.

What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Case?

Wrongful death claims involve a number of legal considerations that distinguish them from standard personal injury matters. Families pursuing these claims should be aware of the following:

• Who may bring the claim: Under Oklahoma law, a wrongful death action must be brought by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate, for the benefit of surviving spouses, children, and other designated beneficiaries. Understanding who has standing to bring the claim and how any recovery will be distributed is an important early step in the process.
• The statute of limitations: Oklahoma imposes a strict deadline on wrongful death claims, and understanding the statute of limitations that applies is essential. Failing to file within the required period permanently bars the family from pursuing compensation, regardless of the strength of the underlying claim.
• Causation in complex cases: Establishing that the defendant’s conduct was the proximate cause of the death is often one of the most contested elements of a wrongful death claim, particularly in cases involving medical negligence or multi-vehicle accidents. Proving causation in complex wrongful death cases frequently requires expert testimony and extensive pretrial investigation.
• Comparative fault: Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence standard applies in wrongful death cases as well as personal injury matters. If the deceased is found to have shared some degree of fault for the incident that caused their death, the recoverable damages will be reduced proportionally.
• Evidence preservation: Surveillance footage, accident reconstruction data, medical records, and witness accounts are all time-sensitive forms of evidence that can be critical to the outcome of a wrongful death claim. Surveillance footage in wrongful death cases can be overwritten within days of an incident, making prompt legal engagement essential.

What Is the Wrongful Death Case Timeline?

The timeline for resolving a wrongful death claim depends on the complexity of the liability issues, the number of parties involved, and the positions taken by the opposing insurer or defendant. Most wrongful death matters progress through the following stages:

• Incident and immediate aftermath: Preserve all available evidence, obtain any incident or accident reports, and contact an attorney as promptly as possible to begin the investigation and protect the family’s legal rights.
• Investigation and evidence gathering: Your attorney will identify the liable parties, gather physical and documentary evidence, retain expert witnesses where necessary, and build a comprehensive factual record supporting the claim.
• Estate and beneficiary issues: Where necessary, your attorney will assist in addressing any procedural requirements related to the filing of the claim on behalf of the estate and the identification of the appropriate beneficiaries.
• Medical records and damages documentation: A full accounting of the family’s losses, including financial support, medical expenses, and non-economic damages, must be compiled and documented before a demand can be submitted.
• Demand and negotiation: A formal demand is submitted to the responsible party’s insurer and negotiations are conducted. Many wrongful death claims are resolved at this stage, though the timeline for settlement varies considerably depending on the parties and the strength of the evidence.
• Filing suit, if necessary: When negotiations do not produce a fair resolution, your attorney will file a wrongful death lawsuit and the matter will proceed through discovery, depositions, expert disclosures, and pretrial motions before trial.
• Resolution: Wrongful death cases may settle at any point before or during trial. Cases that proceed to verdict are decided by a jury, which determines both liability and the damages to be awarded to the surviving family.

What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Consultation?

Preparing for your initial consultation allows your attorney to begin evaluating the claim promptly and efficiently. The following information is particularly useful to have available:

• Any documentation related to the incident that caused your loved one’s death, including police or accident reports, incident reports, photographs, and the names and contact information of any witnesses
• Medical records and bills related to any treatment your loved one received following the incident, as well as the official death certificate
• Documentation of your loved one’s income, employment history, and financial contributions to the household, which will be relevant to calculating the economic losses suffered by the family
• Any communications received from an insurance company, the at-fault party, or their legal representatives following the death

Your attorney will review this information, explain the legal options available to your family, and outline the steps involved in pursuing a claim. The initial consultation is free and carries no obligation to proceed.

What Are Important Oklahoma Legal Resources for Wrongful Death Cases?

Oklahoma’s wrongful death law is grounded in a combination of statutory provisions and established legal standards. The following resources provide a useful starting point for families seeking to understand the legal framework:

• Oklahoma’s wrongful death statute, which establishes who may bring a claim and what damages may be recovered, is accessible through the Oklahoma State Courts Network.
• The deadline for filing a wrongful death lawsuit in Oklahoma is set by statute and can be found on the Oklahoma Legislature’s official website.
• Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence standard, which governs how fault is allocated when the deceased may have shared some responsibility for the incident, is codified in the Oklahoma Statutes.
• The Oklahoma Bar Association provides general public resources on civil law matters, including guidance on the probate and estate administration processes that are often relevant in wrongful death cases.

Reach Out to Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys to Schedule a Consultation

Losing a family member to another party’s negligence is among the most difficult circumstances a family can face. Our Tulsa wrongful death lawyer is prepared to guide your family through the legal process with experience, care, and a commitment to pursuing the full compensation your family deserves. Contact us to schedule a free and confidential case review with Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys.

Wrongful Death Statistics in Tulsa

A wrongful death claim almost always begins with a preventable event: a crash, a fall, an unsafe workplace, or a lapse in medical care. Looking at how often fatal injuries occur helps families understand that they are not alone and that these losses are far more common than most people realize.

The figures below provide context:

• Unintentional injuries are the third leading cause of death in the United States and claimed 197,449 lives in 2024, according to the CDC.
• Motor vehicle crashes (41,241 deaths in 2024) and falls (48,308 deaths) are two of the largest categories of fatal injury, per the same CDC data, and both are frequent sources of wrongful death claims.
• About 39,345 people died in traffic crashes nationwide in 2024, based on estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Oklahoma recorded more than 600 traffic deaths in 2024, and Tulsa County is consistently among the state’s highest for crash volume, according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

Statistics cannot capture the loss itself. What they show is that fatal negligence is a recurring problem on Tulsa’s roads, worksites, and properties, and that the families left behind have a recognized path to accountability under Oklahoma law.

What Determines the Value of a Wrongful Death Claim

Families often ask what a wrongful death claim is worth. There is no formula that produces a single number, because the value reflects both hard financial losses and the human loss that no amount of money can replace. Several factors shape that figure.

• The deceased’s age, health, and earning capacity. A significant part of many claims is the income and financial support the person would have provided over the rest of their working life, which depends on their age, occupation, and earnings at the time of death.
• The survivors’ dependence on the deceased. The number of dependents and the degree to which they relied on the person for financial support, childcare, and household contributions all affect the recovery.
• The strength of the liability evidence. How clearly the evidence establishes the defendant’s fault, and whether more than one party shares responsibility, influences both the value and the likelihood of a favorable outcome.
• The available insurance coverage. Serious claims often exceed a single policy’s limits, so identifying every applicable source of coverage, from an at-fault driver to a commercial policy, can determine how much is actually recoverable.
• The non-economic losses. Oklahoma law recognizes the grief, lost companionship, and lost guidance suffered by surviving family members, and these losses form a substantial part of a wrongful death recovery even though they are harder to quantify.
• Any comparative fault. If the person who died is found to have shared some responsibility for the incident, the recovery is reduced in proportion to that share, which makes a careful investigation of fault important from the outset.

Tulsa Wrongful Death Lawyer FAQs

How much does a Tulsa wrongful death lawyer cost?

Nothing up front. Our wrongful death attorney in Tulsa works on a contingency fee, so the fee comes out of any recovery and only if there is one. If we do not obtain a settlement or verdict, your family owes no attorney fee. That structure allows a grieving family to pursue accountability without taking on legal bills during an already difficult time.

Who can file a wrongful death claim in Oklahoma?

Under Oklahoma law, a wrongful death action is brought by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate, but it is pursued for the benefit of the surviving spouse, children, parents, and other designated beneficiaries. Sorting out who has standing and how any recovery is distributed is an early step a lawyer can guide the family through.

How long do we have to file a wrongful death claim?

Oklahoma generally allows two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit, though certain circumstances can shorten that window, and claims involving a government entity carry earlier notice deadlines. Because evidence and witness memories fade, it is wise to speak with a Tulsa wrongful death lawyer well before the deadline approaches.

What if my loved one was partly at fault?

A claim is often still possible. Oklahoma follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so a family may recover as long as the deceased’s share of fault was not greater than the combined fault of everyone else responsible. The recovery is then reduced by that percentage, which makes how fault is assigned an important issue to address early.

What damages can surviving family members recover?

Recovery can include economic losses such as funeral and burial costs, medical bills incurred before death, and the financial support the deceased would have provided, along with non-economic losses like grief, lost companionship, and lost guidance. In cases involving especially reckless conduct, punitive damages may also be available.

What kinds of accidents lead to wrongful death claims?

Fatal traffic collisions are the most common, including motorcycle accidents and crashes involving pedestrians and bicycle riders, who have almost no protection in a collision. Fatal falls, workplace incidents, unsafe property conditions, and medical negligence also give rise to these claims.

Is a wrongful death claim the same as a criminal case?

No. A criminal case is brought by the state to punish an offender, while a wrongful death claim is a civil action brought by the family to recover compensation. The two can arise from the same incident and proceed separately, and a family’s civil claim does not depend on whether criminal charges are filed.

What if a serious injury led to death later?

When a loved one survives an incident for a time before passing, the family may have both a survival claim for what the person endured and a wrongful death claim for the family’s own losses. A severe brain injury that later proves fatal is one example, and the medical record connecting the injury to the death becomes central to the case.

Do we really need a lawyer for a wrongful death claim?

These cases are among the most complex in personal injury law, often involving multiple parties, disputed causation, and insurers focused on limiting what they pay. Representation usually changes how a claim is valued, since carriers track which firms prepare and try these cases, and that lets a family focus on grieving rather than fighting the other side.

Important Resources for Tulsa Wrongful Death Cases

Most Dangerous Roads for Fatal Crashes in Tulsa

Fatal traffic collisions are the leading cause of wrongful death claims in the area, and certain Tulsa corridors see more of them than others because of their speed and traffic volume.

High-speed highways:

• Interstate 44 and Interstate 244. These are among Oklahoma’s busiest and highest-crash corridors, carrying heavy traffic through the heart of Tulsa.
• US-75 and US-169. Major north-south routes with fast-moving traffic, frequent merges, and interchanges where serious collisions occur.
• The Broken Arrow Expressway (SH-51). A heavily traveled commuter route linking Tulsa and Broken Arrow, with high volumes at peak hours.

Busy surface corridors:

• Memorial Drive and Sheridan Road. High-traffic arterials with dense commercial activity and many signalized intersections.
• Peoria Avenue and 11th Street (Route 66). Older corridors that mix vehicles with pedestrians and cyclists.
• Admiral Place. A long east-west route with a history of serious intersection crashes.

Wrongful death claims also arise well away from the road, in workplaces, on unsafe properties, and in medical settings, so the settings above reflect only the largest single category.

Local Resources for Tulsa Families

After a fatal incident in Tulsa, a few public offices can help a family obtain records and understand what happened.

• Tulsa Police Department (918-596-9222). Investigates and documents fatal incidents within the city and can help a family obtain a copy of the report.
• Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (918-596-5600). Handles incidents on county roads and areas outside the Tulsa city limits.
• Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Eastern Office (918-295-3400). The Tulsa office at 1627 Southwest Boulevard determines cause and manner of death and issues records families often need for a claim.

We list these local resources for convenience only. Including them is not an endorsement, and none of these organizations is affiliated with our firm.

About Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys

Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys represents surviving families throughout Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. Patrick Wandres concentrates on the most serious injury and death cases and prepares each one for trial from the outset, since an insurer evaluates a wrongful death claim differently when the file shows a firm ready to try it. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma. The firm’s recoveries include a $1,000,000 result in a wrongful death claim arising from a semi-truck collision, and these cases are handled on a contingency basis.

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★

“Patrick took our case and the outcome was much more than we expected. He took care of every detail in a timely manner and kept us informed throughout. He is very professional and understands the emotional toll a case can take. We knew from the start that we were in good hands.”

(Eva Isam)

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Contact Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys

If your family lost a loved one to another party’s negligence in Tulsa, our Tulsa wrongful death lawyer can review what happened and explain the options available to your family at no cost. A first conversation carries no pressure and no obligation. Wandres Law Injury and Accident Attorneys handles wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis, so your family pays no attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Contact us to schedule a free, confidential consultation.