When a phone call or knock at the door changes your family forever, the days that follow can feel impossible. A Lexington wrongful death lawyer at Maze Law Offices is here to walk with families across Fayette County and the rest of Kentucky as they search for answers, accountability, and the financial support they need to keep moving forward.
We understand that no amount of money can replace your loved one, but we also know that medical bills, funeral costs, and lost income can pile up quickly during the most painful chapter of your life. We are here to listen, to fight for your family, and to carry the legal burden so you can focus on healing.
If your family is facing this kind of loss in Lexington, please call us at 859-882-9999 for a free, no-pressure consultation. We will sit down with you, hear your story, and explain your options in plain language.
Choosing the right legal team after losing a family member is a deeply personal decision. We treat every family who walks through our doors with the care and respect they deserve, because we know the people behind every case are hurting.
Our team has built a strong reputation in Lexington and across the Bluegrass for handling sensitive injury and death cases with compassion and persistence.
Here is what sets our firm apart:
When you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen. Call 859-882-9999 today to schedule your free consultation with a Lexington wrongful death lawyer who will treat your family like our own.
A wrongful death claim is a civil lawsuit brought when a person dies because of another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act. It is separate from any criminal case that may also be filed. Even if no criminal charges are brought, your family may still have a strong civil claim for compensation.
Under Kentucky Revised Statute 411.130, a wrongful death action must be brought by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate. Any money recovered is then distributed to surviving family members according to Kentucky law.
The goal of a wrongful death claim is to hold the responsible party accountable and to provide financial support to the loved ones left behind.
These claims often involve:
A closing thought worth remembering: every family’s situation is different, and the value of a claim depends on many personal and legal factors that we will walk through with you during your free consultation.
Fatal accidents can happen almost anywhere, from busy stretches of New Circle Road to quiet country highways outside the city. Our Lexington wrongful death attorneys help families after a wide range of preventable tragedies.
Some of the most common causes we see include:
No matter how your loved one was lost, if someone else’s careless behavior played a role, we want to hear your story and help you understand whether a claim makes sense for your family.
Kentucky law is very specific about who has the legal right to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. Only the personal representative, sometimes called the executor or administrator of the estate, can file the claim in court. This person is usually named in the deceased person’s will or appointed by the probate court if there is no will. This role is also responsible for pursuing damages in personal injury lawsuit on behalf of the estate and eligible family members.
While the personal representative files the claim, the money recovered is paid to surviving family members in a specific order set by KRS 411.130. Generally, the order looks like this:
Figuring out who has the right to file and who shares in the recovery can get complicated quickly, especially in blended families. Our team will help you sort out the legal details so your family can focus on each other.
When we talk about damages, we mean the different types of losses that can be paid back through a wrongful death claim. Kentucky law allows families to recover both economic and non-economic damages, and in some cases, punitive damages.
Economic damages cover the measurable financial losses your family has suffered, such as:
Non-economic damages cover the human side of the loss, including:
In rare cases involving especially reckless or intentional conduct, courts may also award punitive damages. These are meant to punish the wrongdoer and discourage similar behavior in the future. We will carefully review every angle of your case so no part of your family’s loss is overlooked.
One detail many surviving spouses do not realize is that Kentucky law treats their personal loss as a separate claim from the estate’s wrongful death case. Understanding what wrongful death is can help families better understand why the core wrongful death damages under KRS 411.130 must be filed by the personal representative of the estate.
A surviving husband or wife, however, has their own individual claim under KRS 411.145, known as a loss of consortium claim.
Kentucky’s loss of consortium statute defines consortium as the right to the services, assistance, aid, society, companionship, and conjugal relationship between spouses. Since 2009, Kentucky courts have recognized that this claim continues even after the injured spouse passes away, which means a surviving spouse can pursue damages for the loss of that lifelong relationship in their own name.
In practical terms, this often means two related claims move forward together:
Recognizing both claims often makes a meaningful difference in the total compensation a family can recover. We will help you understand how each claim fits into your situation and make sure no part of your loss is left on the table.
Time matters in wrongful death cases. Kentucky has strict deadlines, called statutes of limitations, that limit how long you have to take legal action. Understanding the wrongful death statute of limitations is critical because if you miss the deadline, you may lose your right to recover anything at all.
Under KRS 413.180, the personal representative generally has one year from the date they are appointed by the court to file a wrongful death lawsuit, and the appointment itself usually must happen within one year of the death.
That means most Kentucky wrongful death cases must be filed within two years of the date of death, but the exact deadline depends on your specific facts.
A few situations can change this timeline:
The safest approach is simple. Call our office as soon as you can so we can review the calendar and protect your family’s rights before any deadline passes.
Most wrongful death cases involve dealing with one or more insurance companies. This may include auto insurance, commercial trucking insurance, business liability insurance, or nursing home insurance. While insurance adjusters may sound friendly on the phone, their job is to protect their company’s bottom line, not your family. In these situations, a Lexington truck accident lawyer can help protect your rights and handle communications with insurers.
Common tactics families run into include:
You do not have to face these conversations alone. Once we are on your side, the insurance companies talk to us, not you.
When you call Maze Law Offices, the first step is a free, private consultation. We will listen to your story, ask questions, and answer yours. There is never any pressure to hire us, and we never charge for that first conversation.
If we take your case, here is the kind of work we typically handle for your family:
Throughout the process, we keep you informed and treat your family with the respect and patience this kind of case requires.
Below are some of the questions families ask us most often when they are thinking about a wrongful death claim in Lexington. If you do not see your question here, please reach out and we will be glad to talk it through with you.
We handle wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront and nothing at all unless we recover compensation for your family. Our fee comes out of the final recovery, not your pocket. The first consultation is always free.
The length of a case depends on many factors, including how complicated the facts are, how many parties are involved, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Some cases resolve in several months, while others can take a year or more. We will keep your family updated at every step.
Yes. If there is no will, the probate court can appoint a personal representative, sometimes called an administrator, to handle the estate. That person can then bring the wrongful death claim. We can help guide your family through the probate process if needed.
Kentucky’s comparative fault rule allows recovery even when the deceased shared some of the blame. The total compensation may be reduced by your loved one’s percentage of fault, but a partial recovery is still possible in many cases. Do not assume you have no claim until you talk with a personal injury lawyer.
Most cases settle before trial, but not all of them. We prepare every case as if it will go in front of a jury, because that level of preparation often leads to stronger settlements. If a fair settlement is not offered, we are ready to take the case to court.
Chandler Maze, Lexington Wrongful Death Lawyer
No family should have to face this kind of loss alone. At Maze Law Offices, we are honored to stand beside families in Lexington and across Kentucky during the hardest moments of their lives. We will listen with care, explain your options clearly, and fight for the accountability and support your family deserves.
When you are ready, we are here. Call 859-882-9999 for a free, confidential consultation with a Lexington wrongful death lawyer. There is no fee unless we recover for your family, and there is no pressure, just a conversation about how we may be able to help.
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