Wrongful Death Attorneys

Wrongful death claims arise when someone dies because of another party's negligence or intentional act — car and truck crashes, unsafe premises, medical mistakes, defective products, workplace incidents, and violent acts. Both California and Florida have specific statutes defining who may file and what damages are recoverable.

In California, wrongful death claims are typically brought by the surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, or (in some cases) parents. In Florida, the personal representative of the estate files on behalf of eligible survivors. The statute of limitations is generally two years in both states, but shorter deadlines apply against government entities.

Recoverable damages usually include funeral and burial expenses, the deceased's medical bills before death, lost financial support the deceased would have provided, loss of household services, and — importantly — loss of love, companionship, moral support, guidance, and consortium. Florida law also allows certain survivors to recover mental pain and suffering.

A separate 'survival' claim can recover damages the deceased could have pursued if they had survived — including conscious pain and suffering between injury and death, and lost earnings from that period. We evaluate every family's situation for both types of claims.