Louisville Wrongful Death Lawyer
Fighting for Families Across Kentucky & Beyond
There’s no true recompense for the untimely loss of a loved one, but legal action can be crucial to providing families with the justice and compensation they deserve.
At Kinnard Law, we provide families facing some of life’s most difficult experiences with passionate advocacy and step-by-step support for wrongful death lawsuits.
With a record of proven success in complex claims involving fatal accidents and injuries, we know how to help grieving families navigate the road to justice.
Why Choose Kinnard Law?
- We have a proven record of success in wrongful death actions;
- Our firm has been recognized among U.S. News’ Tier 1 “Best Law Firms”
- We’ve secured millions in compensation, as well as record-setting verdicts;
- Our award-winning attorneys have over 150 years of collective experience.
Kinnard Law was founded in 1977 by Attorney Randall Kinnard, a Certified Civil Trial Specialist and member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an exclusive invitation-only group comprised of the nation’s top 100 plaintiffs’ trial lawyers. He and our team of talented trial attorneys have extensive experience representing families in wrongful death lawsuits, and have earned national recognition among the nation’s leading lawyers, including selections to The Best Lawyers in America®, Super Lawyers, and more.
If you have questions about a potential wrongful death lawsuit in Louisville or the state of Kentucky, Kinnard Law is here to help. Contact us to request a free and confidential review of your case.
What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?
Wrongful death lawsuits are civil claims that function similarly to personal injury suits – they seek accountability for preventable losses arising from negligent or wrongful acts, as well as financial liability for the resulting damages.
Wrongful death claims can be emotionally charged, complex, and high-value cases, which is why defendants and insurance companies fight them aggressively. They may also be filed over many different circumstances and allegations, including:
- Fatal car accidents
- Commercial truck and tractor-trailer wrecks
- Medical malpractice and birth injuries
- Defective products, pharmaceuticals, or auto parts (product liability)
- Dangerous conditions on another’s property (premises liability)
Because every case is different, each wrongful death action must be carefully prepared and tailored to the facts at hand. At Kinnard Law, our attorneys work personally with families from initial evaluations and investigations to negotiations or litigation, when necessary. We’re committed to our clients’ causes, and fight passionately for the outcomes they deserve.
A Proven Record of Success: Our Results
Over the course of 40+ years, our firm has cultivated a record of proven success, including millions in recoveries for our clients, and record-setting verdicts and settlements. Here are a few examples of our results in wrongful death cases:
- $5 million jury verdict for the wrongful death of a 22-month-old boy who died as a result of complications from a tick infection.
- Multi-million dollar settlement for the wrongful death of a mother who was killed when a tractor-trailer changed lanes and forced her vehicle off the road.
- $3 million jury verdict against a hospital that failed to timely treat a 16-year-old boy’s diabetic ketoacidosis.
- $2 million jury verdict for the wrongful death of a high school principal who developed colon cancer when his gastroenterologist failed to warn him about risks and precautionary measures.
- $1.8 million jury award over the wrongful death of a 63-year-old man whose tongue cancer went undiagnosed for one year when a CT scan was initially interpreted as normal.
Kentucky Wrongful Death FAQ
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Kentucky?
Under Kentucky wrongful death laws, a legal personal representative of the decedent’s estate may file a claim on behalf of surviving family members. This person may be an actual family member, someone named as executor in a will, or an attorney.
While only one “representative” brings a wrongful death claim, damages are awarded to the decedent’s estate, and distributed to surviving eligible family members in the following order:
- The surviving spouse (if there are no children);
- Surviving spouse and children;
- Surviving children (if there is no spouse);
- Parents of the decedent (if there is no surviving spouse or children);
- The estate / other family members named as beneficiaries (if there is no surviving spouse, children, or parents).
How Long Do I Have to Bring a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
In Kentucky, there are time limits (known as the statute of limitations) on most civil claims. For claims of wrongful death, the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit is generally one year from the date of the victim’s death. However, there are situations where the statute of limitations may vary – such as when cases involve minors, defective products, medical malpractice or exposure to harmful substances, among others.
We can advise you on the applicable statute of limitations in your case. Given the time restrictions in place, and the need for an attorney to investigate and build claims, families are encouraged to bring their cases to the attention of our team as soon as possible.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Wrongful Death Claim?
As with personal injury claims, wrongful death lawsuits allow families to recover financial compensation for damages. This includes economic and non-economic losses arising from a loved one’s death, such as:
- Lost wages and lost earning power
- Medical expenses and costs of care incurred prior to death
- Pain and Suffering before death
- Emotional suffering, including mental anguish, loss of consortium (for the surviving spouse or minor child), loss of love and companionship, and loss of care, advice, and training that would have been provided to children or dependents
- Lost household services and care
- Burial and funeral expenses
Calculating damages in wrongful death cases requires careful assessment of the financial losses incurred by surviving family members up to the point a case is resolved, as well as projected losses that can be reasonably expected in the future (i.e. income a decedent would have earned). It also requires creativity in demonstrating the scope of emotional losses, which are intangible and difficult to equate into monetary sums.
In some cases, specifically those involving “egregious” acts of negligence or wrongdoing, punitive damages may be awarded as a means to further punish defendants and deter. Our team can review your case to evaluate its potential for punitive damages.
Speak With An Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney in Louisville, KY
If you have questions about a wrongful death lawsuit in Kentucky, a potential case, and how our caring and compassionate team at Kinnard Law may be able to help you in the fight for justice, please call or contact us online. We offer free and confidential consultations to families across Kentucky and the surrounding states, and accept referrals from attorneys nationwide.

Verdicts & Settlements
Unmatched Dedication Has Led to Record-Setting Victories-
Personal Injury - Erin Andrews Lawsuit Against Hotel $55 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 62 Year Old Woman $22.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Largest Verdict in Weakley County History $15.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Davidson County $6.5 Million
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Wrongful Death of 22 Month Old $5 Million
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Golf Cart Accident $4.4 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 24 Year Old College Student $4 Million
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Wrongful Death - Tractor-Trailer Wreck $3.25 Million
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Wrongful Death - 16 Year Old Boy $3 Million
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Auto Accident - Rutherford County $3 Million

Client Testimonials
Helping the Injured Obtain Justice
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Integrity, above and beyond
“From a choice in the Yellow Pages to Success. This Law Firm has proven itself as absolutely professional, goal oriented, kind and compassionate in the past several years during my case. Mutual trust ...”
- H.W. -
In the hardest two years of my life, you provided the utmost trust, comfort, and support.
“Thank you Randy, Jennifer, and Cynthia so much for not only helping me get through what has been the hardest time of my life, but for always providing grace, trust, and a sense of comfort for what ...”
- T.H. -
We are very grateful.
“Our case was not easy. Many law firms would not be willing to get involved with a case this complicated and time-consuming. What Kinnard Law achieved on account of conquering numerous hurdles was ...”
- E.I. -
Great staff.
“I had the pleasure of working with a few different Kinnard Law lawyers after a personal injury. The process in its entirety took a couple years - which is longer than I anticipated, but also news to ...”
- J. -
100% Best Lawyers Around
“You have all been so kind and loving to our family! We appreciate all the hard work and dedication you all put in for our case.”
- J.S.
Awards & Accolades
Highly Respected in the Legal Community-
Randall Kinnard is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invite-only group comprised of the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard (since 1993),
Mary Ellen Morris (since 2017),
and Jennifer Eberle (since 2022)
have all been recognized for their legal skill and achievements. -
The firm has received the prestigious “Best Law Firms” rating in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Health Care Litigation.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard is a member of ABOTA, a nationwide organization of lawyers who care passionately about the trial system in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is an inducted member of the ACTL, one of North America’s premier trial organizations comprised of less than 1% of all lawyers in each state.
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Randall Kinnard is a member of the invitation-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to 500 trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invite-only honorary society comprised of less than .5% of all U.S. lawyers.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard was named the 2019 Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Nashville, TN.
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Randall Kinnard has been voted to TN Super Lawyers®. This organization recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in their practice area.
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Randall Kinnard and Mary Ellen Morris have received the highest rating for legal excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.
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Our attorneys have been voted by their peers to the "Top 40 under 40" Trial Lawyers list, as awarded by The National Trial Lawyers organization.
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Our firm’s trial attorneys have been recognized among the state’s leading legal minds, and named by Business TN Magazine to its coveted “150 Best Lawyers in Tennessee” list.
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Our attorneys have been named as 2023 “Best of the Bar” by Nashville Business Journal.
