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Three Things Everyone Should Know About California Wrongful Death Cases

No one wants to ever have a reason to bring a wrongful death case. By definition, it means that you’ve lost someone you were close to. However, when tragedy strikes and someone should be held accountable, then a wrongful death case may be the best way to get the financial compensation you deserve and the closure you need.

At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we’ve worked on many of these cases and are happy to offer a free case evaluation for you. All you have to do is call us at 909-982-0707. In the meantime, you can read three things that you’ll need to know before you move forward with your case.

  1. You have two years (at most) to bring a wrongful death case
  2. Wrongful death cases typically have the same statute of limitations as personal injury lawsuits do. Depending on who was responsible, you could have as little as six months to file a lawsuit, though typically it’s two years.

    When you call us at 909-982-0707, we can give you the details about how long you have to bring a case based on the unique information about your case. For example, if you have a medical malpractice case, there are a number of statues that could apply. Most of them give you a year or less to file your claim. No matter what the situation, one thing is true: Call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

  3. Not everyone can file a wrongful death lawsuit
  4. In the state of California, a wrongful death lawsuit must be filed by a qualified family member. This includes the spouse or legal domestic partner of the deceased, the children of the deceased, and certain other close relations of the deceased. In some cases, a parent or stepchild can file a wrongful death lawsuit, but only if they were financially dependent on the deceased.

    There are other exceptions too. For example, if there aren’t any living, qualifying relations to bring the suit, then anyone who qualifies to receive the property of the deceased based on laws of intestate succession may be able to bring a lawsuit. Once again, Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas can help you understand your options when you call us for your free case evaluation.

  5. The purpose is to recover damages done to the surviving family
    A wrongful death lawsuit will likely cover the losses the deceased incurred before their death – such as medical bills, lost wages, etc. – but it will also cover the losses of the family members who survived. This includes things like loss of presences and the cost of a funeral and burial.

Call today to get a free case evaluation

If you believe you may have cause for a wrongful death case then we urge you to call us today at 909-982-0707. During your free evaluation, we’ll consider your case, get the basics, and offer you advice on how you can move forward. This is not a situation you can put off indefinitely. Call today before the statute of limitations runs out.