Death benefits are secured under Indiana’s workers’ compensation laws and are provided to the loved ones and beneficiaries of deceased workers. In the event of a work-related accident that results in a wrongful death, the benefactors of the deceased person will be eligible for funeral expenses and burial costs, as well as 500 weeks of death benefit payments. These payments may be available in a lump sum or in the form of structured payments.

The importance of having an experienced death benefits lawyer on your side cannot be understated. In many of these cases, a death benefits lawyer is crucial to ensure payments are made smoothly and the beneficiary receives everything they are entitled to.

At Wagner Reese, our lawyers are here to help you settle your lump sum award negotiations and help the payments of your settlement work in your favor. Our Indianapolis death benefits lawyers can also represent survivors in the event of a requested autopsy or if the survivors are not immediate family of the deceased person.

Give us a call at to schedule a free consultation with our legal team.

Wrongful Death in the Workplace

Unfortunately, many workplace accidents lead to death. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die due to the negligence of others—something that should never occur.

Below are some statistics about accidental deaths in the workplace:

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2010 there were over 120,000 accidental deaths by injury.
  • In 2010, there were reportedly over 26,000 deaths related to slip and fall accidents.
  • According to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 4,300 workers were killed on the job in 2012. While those numbers have been steadily declining over the past two decades, the number of preventable accidents that lead to deaths are still astronomically too high.

Why Work with a Death Benefits Lawyer?

If your loved one was killed in an on-the-job accident, the thought of navigating the legal process can be overwhelming. Having an attorney on your side can not only make the process easier for you and your family, but it can also help ensure that you receive the full compensation you are entitled to receive.

Reasons you should consult with an attorney:

  • An attorney can assist you with lump sum negotiations. Under certain circumstances, workers’ compensation death benefits may terminate. Having a death benefits lawyer on your side will help ensure that you and your family are taken care of and get all the money you are entitled to receive.
  • Autopsy requests can make death benefits tricky. In cases where an employer and insurance company are fighting a payout of the death benefits award, they often request an autopsy. If any alcohol, drugs, or other inhibitors are found to be present, they may have reason to deny the claim. Having legal representation is crucial in receiving a death benefits claim in these cases.
  • Are you not an immediate family member of the deceased? In some cases, the key to receiving death benefits is by proving economic dependency. Just because you are not in the immediate family of the deceased doesn’t mean you were not financially impacted by the death of this person.

The Indianapolis death benefit attorneys at Wagner Reese can help you determine your legal options and work to protect your rights. We have been helping injured individuals and the surviving family members of people who were wrongfully killed for more than 20 years. Our legal team provides compassionate, personalized representation and aggressive advocacy for each and every client.

To learn more about death benefits and your rights, contact Wagner Reese online or by phone at for a free consultation.