Los Angeles Wrongful Death Lawyer

Wrongful death lawyers representing families throughout Los Angeles who have lost someone to negligence.

If someone in your family was killed by another party’s negligence in Los Angeles, we are here to help you. A wrongful death claim cannot undo what happened, but it holds the responsible party accountable and provides the financial stability your family needs going forward. Our founding attorney has been representing injury victims since 1991. As your Los Angeles, CA wrongful death lawyer, Cohen Injury Law Group takes these cases on contingency with no fees unless we recover. Contact us to discuss your family’s situation.

Wrongful Death Lawyer Los Angeles, CA

A wrongful death lawyer represents the surviving family members of someone killed by another party’s negligence or wrongful conduct. California law limits who may file. Spouses, domestic partners, children, and in some cases putative spouses, stepchildren, and parents have standing to bring the claim. The lawsuit seeks compensation for the financial and personal losses the family suffers because of the death.

Los Angeles sees fatal accidents across its freeways, intersections, construction sites, hospitals, and commercial properties every week. The 405, the 101, the 10, and the 110 are among the most dangerous corridors in the state, and the city’s dense mix of vehicle traffic, commercial trucks, pedestrians, and cyclists creates conditions that produce fatal collisions at a rate that exceeds most major cities. A wrongful death attorney in Los Angeles understands the urgency of preserving evidence, identifying every liable party, and protecting the family’s interests before the defense has time to control the narrative.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

Wrongful death claims arise whenever another party’s negligence causes a fatal injury. The type of accident determines the liable parties and the insurance policies in play. We handle wrongful death cases throughout Los Angeles involving the following.

• Car accidents. Distracted, impaired, and reckless drivers cause fatal collisions on LA freeways and city streets every day. These claims pursue the at-fault driver’s insurance for the family’s full losses, including income the deceased would have earned over a lifetime.
• Truck accidents. Fatal collisions with commercial trucks produce claims against the driver, the carrier, and any third party whose negligence contributed to the crash.
• Pedestrian accidents. Drivers who strike and kill pedestrians at crosswalks, intersections, and along busy corridors face wrongful death liability. Los Angeles has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the country.
• Motorcycle accidents. Riders killed by drivers who failed to yield or check their mirrors leave families with catastrophic financial losses on top of devastating grief.
• Medical malpractice. Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, medication mistakes, and failure to treat cause preventable deaths in Los Angeles hospitals and clinics.
• Construction accidents. Fatal falls, equipment failures, and electrocutions on construction sites and industrial facilities give rise to third-party wrongful death claims against parties other than the employer.
• Premises liability. Unsafe conditions on commercial or residential property, including inadequate security, structural defects, and fire hazards, cause deaths that the property owner could have prevented.
• Bicycle accidents. Cyclists killed by negligent drivers on Los Angeles roads leave families facing sudden financial loss and claims that require proving the driver caused the fatal collision.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as My Wrongful Death Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA?

Attorneys Who Take These Cases to Trial When Necessary

Insurance companies know which attorneys will accept a low offer and which ones will take the case to a jury. In wrongful death claims, where the stakes are highest, that distinction determines whether the family receives a fair outcome. Cohen Injury Law Group prepares every wrongful death case as though it will go to trial.

Wayne R. Cohen founded the firm and has practiced personal injury law since 1991. Over 35 years of plaintiff-side litigation have given him a thorough understanding of how insurers evaluate fatal injury claims and what it takes to push past their initial offers. Wayne graduated from the University of Michigan and Miami Law School cum laude, lectures at GW Law School, and has been cited in the LA Times, CNBC, Fortune, and the ABA Journal. Nicholas E. Cohen, Managing Partner and graduate of USC and Loyola Law School, directs case operations across the firm.

Wayne Cohen has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients and surviving families. Every wrongful death case we accept is handled on contingency with no fees unless we win.

What Is Important to Understand About a Wrongful Death Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Cases

A wrongful death claim compensates surviving family members for the losses they suffer because of the death. The damages are separate from any criminal charges the responsible party may face.

Economic damages include the deceased person’s lost future income, lost benefits, lost household services, funeral and burial costs, and medical bills incurred before death. These figures are projected over the deceased person’s expected remaining lifetime by economists and vocational professionals. The younger the victim and the higher their earning capacity, the larger the economic claim becomes.

Non-economic damages cover loss of companionship, loss of love and affection, loss of moral support, loss of guidance, and the grief the surviving family experiences. California does not cap non-economic damages in most wrongful death cases outside of medical malpractice.

Liability requires proving that the defendant’s negligence or wrongful act caused the death. California’s comparative fault rules reduce the family’s recovery by any share of fault attributed to the deceased but do not eliminate it.

What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Case?

Wrongful death claims carry legal and procedural requirements that families need to understand early.

• Standing. California law limits who can file. The surviving spouse or domestic partner, children, and in some circumstances other dependents have standing. Identifying the proper plaintiffs is the first step.
• Statute of limitations. The family has two years from the date of death to file. Missing that deadline eliminates the right to recover.
• Evidence preservation. Physical evidence, medical records, employment records, and financial documentation must be secured quickly. Adjusters begin building their defense immediately.
• Multiple defendants. Fatal accidents often involve more than one responsible party. Identifying all of them increases the total coverage available.
• Government claims. If the death was caused by a government employee or a dangerous condition on public property, a claim must be filed within six months before a lawsuit can proceed.

What Is the Wrongful Death Case Timeline?

Wrongful death cases are among the most demanding personal injury claims, and they can sometimes take longer than typical personal injury cases,.

• Investigation. Your attorney secures evidence from the scene, obtains police and autopsy reports, gathers witness statements, and identifies every liable party. In Los Angeles, evidence from freeway crashes and construction site fatalities must be preserved before it disappears.
• Economic analysis. Economists project the deceased person’s future earnings, benefits, and household contributions over their remaining expected lifetime.
• Demand. Formal demands are sent to each liable party’s insurer once the investigation and analysis are complete.
• Negotiation. Settlement discussions follow. Wrongful death claims often involve larger policies, and negotiations can be extended.
• Litigation. If fair value is not offered, a lawsuit is filed. Wrongful death trials in Los Angeles County may take 18 months to two years after filing.

What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Consultation?

The sooner the family’s attorney begins investigating, the more evidence will be available. Gather as much of the following as you can:

• The police report, autopsy report, or coroner’s case number
• Medical records and bills from the deceased person’s final treatment
• Employment records and recent tax returns
• Life insurance and other financial documents
• Contact information for witnesses

What Are Important California Legal Resources for Wrongful Death Cases?

California law defines who may file a wrongful death claim and how damages are calculated. The following resources apply.

• CCP Section 377.60 defines who has standing to bring a wrongful death action.
• Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death.
• Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the negligence standard that applies in fatal injury cases.
• Civil Code Section 3333 governs the measure of damages in California tort cases.
• The California Courts website covers civil filing procedures in Los Angeles County.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Losing a family member to someone else’s negligence is devastating. The legal process should not add to that burden. If your family lost someone in Los Angeles, CA, Cohen Injury Law Group handles wrongful death claims on contingency with no fees unless we recover. Contact us today to get started.