No verdict returns what was taken. But when negligence takes a life — on the road, at work, in a hospital, on someone's property — the law gives the family a way to hold the responsible parties fully accountable, and to secure the future the person they lost was building for them.
Justice for the Family Left Behind
Every wrongful death matter is different — these are the situations we see most, and how we approach them.
Deaths caused by negligent, drunk, or commercial drivers. These cases combine the wrongful death claim with every available layer of insurance coverage, including the family's own underinsured motorist protection.
Falls, collapses, and equipment failures on job sites. New York's Labor Law claims survive the worker and belong to the family — separate from, and far larger than, workers' compensation death benefits.
Deaths from misdiagnosis, surgical error, and hospital neglect. We pair the wrongful death claim with a claim for the pain and suffering endured before death — both belong to the estate.
Fires, falls, drownings, negligent security, and fatal product failures. Whatever the instrument, the question is the same: who had the power to prevent this, and didn't.
A criminal prosecution punishes; it does not compensate. A civil case can proceed alongside or after the criminal case — against the perpetrator and against any property owner or business whose negligence made the crime possible.
What You Should Know
A wrongful death case is brought by the personal representative of the estate for the benefit of the surviving family. We handle the Surrogate's Court steps — appointment, authority, and eventual approval of any recovery — as part of the representation.
Recoverable damages include the lost income and benefits the person would have provided, the value of parental guidance and household services, medical and funeral expenses, and the conscious pain and suffering endured before death.
Wrongful death claims carry shorter filing deadlines than ordinary injury cases, and claims against municipalities and public hospitals shorter still. Grieving families deserve time — the law, unfairly, gives little. Let us protect the deadline while you care for each other.
A word about deadlines: every claim carries a statute of limitations, and some — especially claims involving government entities — require formal notice within months of the incident. Nothing on this page is legal advice for your situation; the only safe course is to have your case reviewed promptly.
Get Started Today
We handle these cases with the gravity they deserve — and we never charge a fee unless we recover for your family.
Start Your Free Case Intake Call (718) 444-WOLFPersonal Injury