What is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A Wrongful Death Lawyer represents the family of the deceased in bringing a claim against the defendant whose alleged negligence caused the death of the relative. The surviving members of the family are owed monetary compensation by the defendant due to his or her role in the death.

Each state's jurisdiction conducts itself differently; with distinctive rules applied to "wrongful death statutes." All states maintain some form of wrongful death claim available to surviving family members.

What are the essentials of a wrongful death claim?

To file a wrongful death claim the death must have been due, entirely or in part, to the defendant's negligent behavior. There must be a surviving spouse, child, or family member to collect the financial costs that resulted in the death.

Who is allowed to file a wrongful death claim?

Each state has different rules as to who may file a wrongful death claim. Typically the immediate family (i.e. spouses, parents and children) may file a wrongful death claim. A child who is a minor may be required to have representation regarding court matters.

Are there restrictions on when a Wrongful Death claim can be filed?
Each state has a statute of limitation to file a wrongful death complaint, which usually starts with the victim's death. In certain cases the statute of limitations may start when it is discovered that a loved one's death may have been caused by the negligence of another. If the statute of limitations has run out, a claim may be denied. That is why it is extremely important to contact a California wrongful death attorney as soon as possible.

The California wrongful death attorneys at Bisnar | Chase are compassionate and they understand that you are coping with the grief associated with the loss of a loved one. Bisnar | Chase selects its wrongful death cases carefully so that the caseload remains small and each case gets the focused and personal attention necessary for a successful outcome.

If you have lost a loved one and you feel you may have a claim for Wrongful Death in California, call Bisnar | Chase for a free wrongful death legal consultation or click here to fill out our convenient on-line wrongful death case evaluation form.

Orange County Wrongful Death Lawyers Disclaimer: The Orange County, California personal injury, wrongful death, death injury, fatal injury, negligence or other wrongful death legal information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice, nor the formation of a lawyer or attorney client relationship. Any results set forth here were dependent on the facts of that case and the results will differ from case to case. Please contact a California wrongful death lawyer or Orange County personal injury attorney at our law firm offices located in Orange County. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the State of California, although we have relationships with attorneys and law firms in states throughout the United States.


The Wrongful Death Attorneys at Bisnar|Chase are licensed to practice in California and Nevada. We represent Wrongful Death clients in other states through our associations with local law firms. Through the local firm, we will be admitted to practice law in their State, "pro hac vice", meaning "for this particular occasion". When in our client's best interest, we employ the local law firm (at no additional cost to our client) to assist us with routine court appearances and discovery proceedings to more efficiently pursue our client's cause.

Copyright © 2008 Bisnar | Chase -California Personal Injury Lawyers - Wrongful Death Lawyers - serving the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Inland Empire, Fresno, Ventura and Santa Barbara. Also serving Nevada personal injury victims. All rights reserved.