If you have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence in Wyoming, understanding your legal rights is a critical first step toward justice. This guide covers Wyoming’s wrongful death laws, profiles three law firms that handle these cases, and answers the most important questions families face.
Introduction
Losing a family member due to another party’s negligence is devastating. Wyoming’s economy – dominated by oil, gas, coal mining, and ranching – creates wrongful death circumstances that frequently involve large energy corporations and industrial employers. Wyoming imposes no caps on wrongful death damages.
Wyoming Wrongful Death Laws
The Wyoming Wrongful Death Statute
Wyoming’s wrongful death law is governed by Wyoming Statutes § 1-38-102. The statute requires the Personal Representative of the deceased’s estate to file the claim.
Who Can File
The Personal Representative of the deceased’s estate must file.
Statute of Limitations
Wyoming imposes a 2-year statute of limitations, measured from the date of death.
Recoverable Damages
Wyoming allows recovery for pecuniary loss, loss of companionship, and funeral expenses. There are no caps on wrongful death damages in Wyoming.
Survival Action
Wyoming maintains a separate survival action alongside the wrongful death claim.
Top 3 Wrongful Death Attorneys in Wyoming
1. Daly & Merritt, P.C.
Location: Cheyenne, WY (Serving statewide)
Phone: (307) 634-8038
Website: https://dalyandmerritt.com
One of Wyoming’s most respected personal injury and wrongful death firms. They are highly experienced in the oil and gas, coal mining, and industrial accidents that are the most common sources of fatal workplace deaths in Wyoming. Because Wyoming has no damage caps, they aggressively pursue maximum uncapped compensation for loss of companionship and financial support.
2. Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C.
Location: Cases handled in WY (Colorado-based firm with Wyoming licensure)
Phone: (303) 792-5595
Website: https://burgsimpson.com
This national-caliber firm from Colorado routinely handles catastrophic wrongful death cases in Wyoming involving oil and gas explosions, trucking fatalities, and pharmaceutical liability. Their virtually unlimited resources are a significant advantage when facing major energy corporations in Wyoming’s courts.
3. Hales & Johnson, P.C.
Location: Casper, WY
Phone: (307) 265-0202
Website: https://halesjohnsonlaw.com
A highly respected Casper firm with decades of experience in Wyoming’s courts. They are adept at navigating the probate appointment process and pursuing both the wrongful death and survival actions efficiently. Their knowledge of Wyoming’s specific industrial negligence landscape provides significant advantages in cases involving major energy and mining companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there caps on damages in Wyoming?
No. Wyoming imposes no caps on wrongful death damages.
What types of wrongful death cases are most common in Wyoming?
Wyoming’s economy creates wrongful death scenarios centered on oil and gas extraction, coal mining, pipeline construction, ranching operations, and commercial trucking on long-haul highways. These cases frequently involve large corporate employers and require attorneys with specific expertise in industrial negligence.
What should I do immediately after losing a loved one due to negligence?
Contact a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. The 2-year deadline runs from the date of death. Preserve all evidence and do not speak with insurance companies before consulting an attorney.
Closing
Wyoming’s no caps framework and industrial negligence landscape make experienced legal representation essential. The firms listed above have the resources to take on Wyoming’s largest corporate defendants. If you have lost a loved one due to another party’s negligence, contact one of these attorneys today.
For immediate grief support, contact the National Alliance for Grieving Children at (866) 432-1542.