Photo: Anthony Maw / UnsplashUnderstanding wrongful death claims
- Accidents and injury
Wrongful Death Claims: Who Can File and What Is Recoverable
How wrongful death lawsuits work, who may bring one, what damages are available and the filing deadlines to watch.
4 min read - Accidents and injury
Wrongful Death Claims: Who Can File, Who Receives Compensation and How It Is Divided
Who has the right to file a wrongful death claim, how survival actions differ, how recoveries are divided among family members, court approval and common disputes.
3 min read - Accidents and injury
Wrongful Death After a Car Crash: Drunk Driving, Negligence and What Families Can Pursue
How wrongful death claims work after fatal crashes, including drunk driving, dram shop liability, punitive damages, criminal cases versus civil claims and insurance limits.
3 min read - Courts and claims
What Is a Statute of Limitations? Why Deadlines Matter
A statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit. Learn how it works and why missing it can end a claim.
4 min read
Related injury topics
- Accidents and injury
Pain and Suffering Compensation: How It Is Calculated
What pain and suffering damages are, the multiplier and per diem methods insurers use and why there is no fixed formula.
4 min read - Accidents and injury
Medical Liens and Reimbursement in Injury Settlements: What Gets Paid Back From Your Settlement
How medical liens, health insurer reimbursement, Medicare and Medicaid claims reduce injury settlements, and how to negotiate and plan for them.
4 min read - Accidents and injury
Truck Accident Claims: Who Can Be Held Liable?
Why commercial truck crashes are more complex, the parties that may share responsibility and evidence that must be preserved quickly.
4 min read - Accidents and injury
Product Liability Claims: When You Can Sue Over a Dangerous or Defective Product
How product liability claims work: design, manufacturing and warning defects, who can be sued, what you must prove, evidence to keep and deadlines.
5 min read - Accidents and injury
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Explained
What UM and UIM coverage pays for, when it applies after a crash and how to make a claim on your own policy.
5 min read
Estate and probate
- Family and estate
The Probate Process Explained Step by Step
What probate is, how long it takes, what an executor does and which assets avoid it.
4 min read - Family and estate
Small Estate Affidavits: Skipping Formal Probate for Smaller Estates
How small estate procedures work, who can use them, what limits apply by state and the steps to collect a loved one's property.
3 min read - Accidents and injury
After a Settlement: How Long Until You Get Paid?
The usual steps and timeline from agreeing to a settlement to receiving a check, including releases, liens and attorney trust accounts.
3 min read
Frequently asked questions
Who can file a wrongful death claim?
Usually the estate's personal representative on behalf of family members, with rules varying by state.
How long do we have to file?
Often two years from the date of death, but it varies.
Can we sue if the driver was not charged?
Yes. Civil claims are separate from criminal charges.
What compensation is available?
Funeral costs, lost income and support, loss of companionship and sometimes punitive damages.
Do we need a lawyer?
Wrongful death cases are complex, so most families consult a lawyer, often on contingency.