This case may go back a few years, but it is nonetheless important, especially because of recent developments. Back in 2013, the Tulsa Jail denied mental health care to one of their inmates who was in custody for a misdemeanor charge. The inmate, Ralph Hal Holland Jr., committed suicide as a result. Now, two years later, Holland’s daughter is bringing a wrongful death lawsuit against former Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz, the jail’s contracted medical service provider, and a handful of jail employees. After being arrested on a domestic assault charge on at the end of November 2013, Holland was found dead in his cell on December 1, 2013. Holland was awaiting litigation but was never placed on suicide watch, even though his daughter, Destiny Holland, told the arresting officers and jail officials that her father was suicidal. During the several days her father was in jail, Destiny’s requests to provide him medications or release her father’s car keys so that she could access his prescriptions were denied. In the wrongful death suit, Destiny acknowledges that her father was severely depressed and that Tulsa Jail officials did not follow proper procedures to give him the mental health care he needed.
Holland’s case is unfortunately common and raises awareness about the importance of mental health care and adequate staffing in our jails and elsewhere across the nation. Here at AMA Law, our experienced team of wrongful death attorneys have what it takes to represent you in cases similar to Holland’s. We know how emotionally taxing and challenging these types of lawsuits can be, which is why we are here to help ensure justice is served and your interests are put first. Unfortunately, many people do not understand their rights in regards to wrongful death lawsuits, which oftentimes results in a missed opportunity to file a lawsuit. If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person or persons, please contact AMA Law today.
Can an Adult Child File a Wrongful Death Claim?
One of the most common questions we get in regards to wrongful death lawsuits is who can file. As we saw with the Holland’s case out of Tulsa, an adult child does have the right to file a lawsuit for a parent’s wrongful death. For starters, it should be noted that any member of the victim’s family can file a lawsuit for a wrongful death of a deceased parent. So, this means that an adult child is allowed to sue for the wrongful death of his or her parent. The idea behind wrongful death claims are to help plaintiffs deal with current and financial losses. In order to win one of these types of cases, the adult child and other relatives must be able to prove that they suffered cognizable monetary injury as the result of the their loved one’s passing. Because of the financial component to these types of cases, it can be difficult for adult children to show that they have experienced a monetary loss as the result of their parent’s passing. In most cases, adult children are already financially capable and able to provide for themselves. Regardless, they could still be awarded damages for the lost relationship with their parent.
As you can see, wrongful death lawsuits are quite complicated, especially when they involve adult children, such as the Holland case mentioned above. Due to the complex nature of these types of cases, it is imperative that you have an Oklahoma wrongful death attorney by your side. To discuss your particular case with us or to learn more about filing a wrongful death suit in Oklahoma, please contact us today.