Orange County Wrongful Death Lawyer

If you lost a loved one in an accident, we recommend contacting Harris Personal Injury Lawyers to talk with an experienced wrongful death attorney in Orange County. When you lose someone unexpectedly, it can be difficult to cope emotionally and physically. The loss of a spouse, child, or parent can be devastating—even more so when you lose your loved one because of another person or business’s careless, reckless, or malicious conduct. When you believe someone is at fault for your relative’s death, a wrongful death attorney can investigate and analyze the circumstances. We can advise you and your family on whether you may be entitled to wrongful death damages, and if so, the best way to pursue a financial recovery. We have years of success in helping people pursue personal injury and wrongful death claims. We have assisted over 5,000 clients in winning more than $300 million in settlements and court rulings. To learn more about California wrongful death law and your legal options, call 1-800-GO-HARRIS. You also can contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation.

Our Orange County Wrongful Death Lawyers Handle All Types of Accident Claims

At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we have handled wrongful death claims arising from all sorts of tragic circumstances, including:

• Auto Accidents
• Bike Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Uber & Lyft Accidents
• Turo Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Scooter Injury Claims
• Airplane Accidents
• Boat Accidents
• Train Accidents
• Premises Liability Claims
• Slip and Falls
• Dog Bite and Animal Attacks

What we look for is whether another party caused the fatal accident by their careless conduct, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. Ordinary or gross negligence often leads to liability in auto accidents. We will review whether the other party violated an implied or explicit warranty, and by doing so, caused your relative’s death. This is an important issue if you were injured because of a defective product, like a vehicle that had an important yet defective part. We also will look for whether the other party is liable for your injuries under a strict liability law. This can be true for defective product claims and in dog bite claims. If your relative died from serious dog bite injuries, the dog owner may be automatically liable for your loss.

Certain People Can File Wrongful Death Lawsuits

California does not allow just anyone to file a wrongful death lawsuit and obtain compensation. Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60, to file a wrongful death suit, you must be:

• A surviving spouse or domestic partner,
• A surviving child,
• A surviving putative spouse or the child of a putative spouse,
• A grandchild, if their parent is deceased,
• A minor who was dependent on the decedent and had resided in the decedent’s household for the previous 180 days,
• Anyone who may be entitled to property under California’s intestate succession laws, or
• The personal representative of the decedent’s estate.

This can be tough to understand, but in California, siblings and unmarried romantic partners cannot file wrongful death claims. If you are unsure of whether you can file a lawsuit, you should talk with our wrongful death lawyers in Orange County. We can analyze your rights and discuss the best next steps.

California Wrongful Death Damages

Through a wrongful death lawsuit, you and your family members can pursue compensation for your injuries. This type of claim focuses on how the surviving close relatives have been injured, not how your relative was harmed. An Orange County wrongful death attorney will fight for you to receive compensation for:

• Medical expenses your relative incurred between the date of the accident and their death;
• Funeral and burial expenses;
• Loss of your relative’s financial supports;
• Loss of your relative’s gifts;
• Loss of your relative’s household services; and
• Loss of your relative’s love, support, companionship, and society.

The compensation obtained through a wrongful death lawsuit is divided among the surviving close relatives, such as a spouse and children. How the compensation is proportioned may be determined by family members. This is usually true if your family accepts a settlement. However, if you receive a court award, the judge or jury may decide how much each relative receives.

Contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Sometimes the hardest step is picking up the phone and calling a law firm. Once that is completed, the next step is to prepare for your consultation. Our Orange County wrongful death lawyers recommend you bring certain information, including:

• The cause of your loved one’s death as documented by the medical records;
• Whether your family member received medical treatment prior to their death;
• Any evidence you have collected regarding the accident and death;
• The names of any witnesses to the accident;
• Whether the police attended the scene, and if you have it, the police report;
• Any statements or communications you have received from the potential at-fault party or an insurance company.

We understand this is an emotional time for you. We will collect information and provide you with an objective opinion regarding your rights. Call us at 1-800-GO-HARRIS.