Wrongful Death

The untimely loss of a loved one is devastating in any situation, let alone when it is caused by the reckless or negligent actions of another party. In such cases, the surviving loved ones of the victim may be entitled to seek compensation by filing either a wrongful death or a survival action against the liable parties who caused the accident. Both wrongful death and survival actions are statutory and strictly governed by California state law. In other words, both exist because California passed laws or statutes to allow these types of claims. However, there are two major differences between the laws governing wrongful death claims and survival actions.

All personal injury claims, including wrongful death cases, have inherent time limits for when they must be filed. These time limits are called “statutes of limitations.” If you fail to file your claim within the statute of limitations period, you may forever be barred from suing for compensation.