Under California law, only the heirs and dependents of the deceased can seek damages for the wrongful death of a loved one. Wrongful death lawsuits for financial compensation are filed in civil court.
If your loved one was murdered or died due to intentional criminal behavior resulting in homicide or manslaughter, the district attorney may file criminal charges against the wrongdoer. [Wrongful Death Laws and Lawsuits]
California Wrongful Death Attorneys
When someone else's negligence results in the death of an individual, that individual's family is entitled to recover damages for their loss.
Damages that can be recovered in a wrongful death lawsuit or settlement include the financial support that the deceased would have contributed to the family and the loss of the deceased's love, companionship, comfort, care, protection, and affection (damages for pain and suffering, also sometimes referred to as emotional distress damages.)
Wrongful Death Settlements and Verdicts
Our skilled attorneys have received large, multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of families who have retained our legal services. [Settlements and Verdicts]
AlderLaw goes beyond simply fulfilling our responsibility to represent our clients' best interests: AlderLaw is proud to continue its relationship with many of these families and watch them use the proceeds of their tragedy to help their family heal and, on some occasions, to help others and effect real change in the world.
Compassionate Legal Representation for Families Involved in Wrongful Death Lawsuits
AlderLaw wrongful death attorneys have represented many families who have lost one or more loved ones due to someone else's negligence. We understand that no amount of money can ever compensate someone for the loss of a loved one so we work hard to get you the justice and maximum possible compensation for your losses and damages in wrongful death lawsuits and settlements.
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence or carelessness of another person, do not accept a settlement offer from an insurance company without legal representation. Insurance companies are good at pretending to be compassionate and may offer you some compensation for your loss. It is important to remember that insurance companies are businesses: they are most passionate about saving money - not in seeing justice carried out and are only focused on seeing their own best interests served.
We understand that you may still be reeling from your loss, but it is important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible after the wrongful death of a loved one. Insurance companies and other responsible parties will be looking for ways to building their own case, which may even include blaming the victim. You need an attorney to preserve and collect valuable evidence to support your case before and collect valuable information or interview witnesses as soon as possible.
Contact our California-based wrongful death attorneys for an empathetic, free initial consultation today. We help families with wrongful death insurance claim settlements and lawsuits throughout California as well as in the states of Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Montana, and Kansas.