Los Angeles’ Wrongful and Preventable Death Lawyers
Derek and his team can competently represent you and help guide you through California’s legal system with confidence. With the firm’s steadfast commitment to every client, you can be assured that your family’s case will be dealt with the utmost care and empathy. You can rely on Reeves Law Group to deliver positive results so you can focus on your recovery and rebuilding your family’s life.
If a loved one has recently died wrongfully, contact our specialist personal injury law firm today. Call us at (800) 644-8000 for a free case review / consultation. We are available any day of the week to evaluate your case. The diligent and results-oriented trial attorney and legal support team at the Reeves Law Group in Los Angeles will stop at nothing so you can get the compensation you deserve.
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WHY HIRE THE REEVES LAW GROUP?
- $250,000,000+ Recovered For Our Clients
- Newsweek’s 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys
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Our personal injury law firm has been helping clients with serious injury and fatal/death cases in Los Angeles for over 30 years. Call (800) 644-8000 or contact us today for a free consultation.
Also feel free to browse the client reviews on our website from families that we were able to help with on their catastrophic injury or wrongful death case.
Award-Winning Personal Injury Law Firm
When one person causes the death of another person, whether by accident or intentionally, the surviving family members of the deceased need to speak to a personal injury attorney about how to pursue a wrongful death claim. This claim is a remedy that attempts to measure the financial loss that the family will suffer because of a loved one’s passing.
For over 30 years, The Reeves Law Group has been helping surviving family members and spouses file lawsuit when applicable, and recover compensation for the death of a loved one. We have recovered over $250 Million dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients throughout LA County.
Attorney Derek Pakiz was featured as Newsweek’s Top 10 Trial Lawyers in the Country. He is also recognized by The National Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States.
A Review of The Reeves Law Group
“When my father was killed in a car accident from a drunk driver it felt like my whole world collapsed on me. It was the most stressful time in my life and it was a big blur. The whole thing took longer than I expected but the outcome was much more than I expected. I would recommend Robert Reeves to anyone who has a personal injury matter and needs serious help.”
Steven A. via Avvo
Review Rating: 5 / 5
Date Published: 03-08-2022
Lawsuits for accidental/negligent and preventable fatal incidents
Fatal incidents happen in great numbers every day in the City of Angels. Unfortunately, sometimes a bad decision or poorly manufactured product can cost someone his or her life. Our legal system has developed an area of law called “Wrongful Death Law” that is designed to help families who lose a loved one due to someone else’s negligence.
These claims are handled by the civil court system, rather than the criminal court system. However, the person responsible for the deceased person’s death can be brought before both a civil and criminal court for causing the death (or killing in the case of a criminal courth). In order to succeed with their death claim, the surviving spouse or family members of the deceased must prove to a jury how the defendant is responsible for the death of their loved one.
Because the stakes are so high in theseclaims, it is important that a personal injury law firm that specializes in these high-stakes cases represent the family. An attorney will demonstrate whether the defendant acted carelessly, recklessly, or intentionally, how that behavior resulted in the victim’s death, and what losses the family has suffered as a result of their passing.
How Can an Experienced Attorney Help?
Lawsuits that involve fatal injuries in California can be high-value cases and can be extremely complicated because they involve complex areas of law. Retaining a skilled personal injury attorney in your locale and in your state is the best way for the survivors to succeed in their claim and receive the greatest amount of financial compensation they are owed under the law.
If you need to hire a local plaintiff’s lawyer that specializes in fatal and serious injuries, the attorney should have the following abilities:
- Exceptional preparation and experience are requirements to maximize the chances of success in a fatal personal injury lawsuit. The best choice for a law firm will be one with years of experience in wrongful death action and handling similar fatal accident cases that resulted in death.
- Sometimes there can be many people who are entitled to recover compensation through a plaintiff’s death claim. A thorough analysis by an attorney will determine if a probate estate should be set up. If the attorney determines that this is the best course of action, then the victim’s estate, instead of the deceased’s individual survivors, will file the claim.
- A key part of determining how much compensation should be awarded is establishing what the victim’s life would have been like if the accident had never happened. Experts will measure the person’s health, life expectancy, occupation, and other factors like hobbies and activities as part of the damages award.
- Sometimes the loss of a family member can leave a family without financial support. Experts can calculate the amount of money the family is owed to compensate them for the loss by analyzing key information like employment, work history, salary, and future lost income.
- Part of building a successful case is making an argument for non-economic damages like loss of companionship. Maximizing this type of compensation is dependent on a lawyer’s preparation and advocacy skills. The best law firms in this field have handled similar cases before and will know how to artfully present your case to a jury.
About fatal accidents and Deadly personal injury Cases
A personal injury lawsuit for a fatal accident compensates the family of the deceased for their losses caused by the death. This claim does not compensate them for the losses suffered by the person who died.
For example, in a deadly plaintiff’s injury claim, the survivors are not allowed to recover damages for the deceased’s medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, or funeral expenses. However, the deceased person’s estate may bring a separate “survival action” to recover these damages.
Sometimes, punitive damages are awarded in a survival action because the deceased survived the accident, even if only for a short period, or because the deceased’s property was damaged in the accident while the person was still alive. Punitive damages can be awarded, regardless of the victim’s momentary survival or the damage to their property, when the death is an intentional killing and the person who committed the act has been convicted of a felony.
Frequently, a plaintiff’s death claim will be combined with a survival action and brought to court at the same time.
California law is constructed with the understanding that people who lose a loved one will suffer. This suffering can take both an economic form and a non-economic form.
Common Accidents That Can be fatal
Fatal accidents caused by someone else’s negligence may justify a wrongful death claim.
The following is a list of common accidents that can lead to fatal injuries:
What Can I Do After a Loved One Has Died?
After someone dies in an accident, it is important for the deceased’s survivors to act quickly. Many plaintiff’s fatal injury cases revolve around the facts of how the accident happened and identifying those responsible for the death. As time goes by, key pieces of evidence can be lost and eyewitnesses can forget important details.
An attorney will bring in investigators and other experts to immediately examine the accident and document the facts before any information is lost.
What Compensation Can I Recover?
The following are some of the economic damages that can be awarded:
- Often when someone dies in an accident, the surviving family members lose the financial help that the deceased contributed. This amount can be awarded for the duration of the expected life span of the deceased or the person bringing the claim, whichever one is shortest.
- Any funeral home costs and other burial expenses.
- The monetary worth of any services that the deceased would have provided.
Non-economic losses are another category of damages. Where economic damages can be directly connected to a dollar amount, non-economic damages are much harder to quantify. A skilled attorney will be able to demonstrate to a jury the monetary value of these losses.
Non-economic damages include:
- The loss of care that the heir suffers because of the death. This can include the training, advice, assistance, protection, and love that the deceased would have given if still alive.
- For the victim’s spouse, the loss of sexual relations.
When a jury is calculating the value of these non-economic damages, it may not take into account the emotional pain of the heirs, their economic status, or whether the deceased was in pain or suffered before passing away. One exception to this rule is that those bringing the claim may receive damages for their emotional distress if they witnessed the accident or the death of their loved one.
Because of the legal complexity of an accidental or intentional deadly PI case, and the emotional strain that comes with these, it is imperative that the survivors discuss their case with a skilled attorney as soon as possible.
Who Can File a Lawsuit In Response to Someone Else’s death?
When someone passes away, only certain loved ones have the right to file a wrongful death claim. Who is allowed to bring this claim is similar to who would be allowed to inherit the property of the deceased person if the person died without writing a will.
The right to this claim lies with the closest relatives of the deceased person.
- The first person who is entitled to bring a claim is the deceased’s wife or husband, then the deceased’s offspring, any dependent stepchildren, any minors who have been under the deceased’s roof for half a year or more, and then the deceased’s dependent parents.
- If no one fits into these categories, then the right to file a claim moves to the surviving parents of the deceased, then brothers and sisters of the deceased and their children, then grandparents, and then to the children of a spouse who passed away.
- Finally, if no one meets these requirements, the deceased’s next of kin may file the claim.
Any of the parties listed above can have the personal representative of the estate of the decedent bring the action. The proceeds from the lawsuit will be distributed to the deceased person’s family members as indicated by the wrongful death statute.
What is the Statute of Limitations in California?
Under traditional common law, wrongful death actions did not exist. It was thought that the claim of the victim died with that person. State legislatures realized that this rule failed to compensate a surviving spouse, family members, and others who suffered certain economic and non-economic losses due to a person’s death and enacted laws to correct this problem.
Today, California’s statutse provide help to grieving families in the state. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim is 2 years from the date of death.
Negotiating Settlements
Oftentimes, a personal injury lawsuit doesn’t go to trial, even the fatal ones. This is because the different parties agree to a settlement beforehand. Being able to manage settlement negotiations requires several skills that only the best attorneys possess.
An experienced attorney that has experience with wrongful deaths will use expert knowledge of the law and preparation in these discussions with the aim of serving the client’s best interests.
- Commitment: Your legal counsel should be personally committed to your case. Your lawyer should meet soon after the death to discuss the matter and should be responsive to questions that you have about the process.
- Preparation: Your attorney should understand your needs, the facts of the case, and the benefits and downsides of a settlement.
- Tactics: The top lawyers employ different tactics depending on the circumstances of the case, the defendant, and the defendant’s counsel. Your lawyer should know the best approaches for your specific case.
Sometimes, pursuing a settlement is in the best interests of the decedent’s family members. A skilled lawyer can help by quickly ending any legal disputes, winning them the maximum compensation for the death, and allowing them to focus on healing.
Contact us regarding a Wrongful Death case
Our law office has one of the highest-powered wrongful death attorneys in Los Angeles and perhaps California, and he understands the nature of these tragic and complex lawsuits, and has helped numerous clients through the difficult circumstances brought about by these tragic losses.
The Reeves Law Group in Los Angeles is here to ensure that you’re not alone in fighting for justice in a wrongful death plaintiff’s case. The law firm’s strength lies not only in its legal expertise and vast financial resources but also in its incredible care and attention to helping its clients. You can expect nothing less than compassionate service and unmatched dedication.
Dealing with a family member’s passing, medical bills, insurance companies, and funeral and burial expenses is not easy, we’re here to help.
If you have lost a loved one to a fatal accident, you may seek compensation for your loss. Call (800) 644-8000 or contact us for a free immediate consultation regarding your potential civil suit and monetary compensation that may be available.
[Written by Derek Pakiz. Article updated on January 22, 2024]
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