California Wrongful Death Lawyer
California Wrongful Death Lawyers Who Honor the Weight of the Case
Losing a family member to someone else’s negligence is not a “personal injury” case. It is a different kind of case — one where the client is a grieving family and the goal is not only accountability for what the defendant did but also long-term financial security for the people left behind. California’s wrongful death statute, Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, defines exactly who can bring the claim and what damages are recoverable. Our job is to carry the legal fight so the family can focus on grief, memory, and each other.
Compass Law Group, LLP handles California wrongful death cases from seven offices — Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, and Bell Gardens. Our firm has recovered $250,000,000+ total for California injury and wrongful death victims, including seven and eight-figure results on fatal truck accident and motorcycle accident cases.
Who Can File a California Wrongful Death Claim
CCP § 377.60 provides a specific list of people who have standing to sue — and that list controls everything. The right to file belongs to:
- The surviving spouse or registered domestic partner
- The decedent’s children (including adopted children, and, if no children, their issue)
- If there is no surviving spouse, domestic partner, or issue, then anyone who would inherit under California intestate succession
- “Dependent” putative spouses, stepchildren, and parents of the decedent, if they can demonstrate actual financial dependence on the decedent
- Minor children who were residing in the decedent’s household for at least 180 days and were dependent on the decedent for at least half their support
California also recognizes a separate survival action under CCP § 377.30, brought by the decedent’s estate, to recover damages the decedent themselves could have claimed if they had survived — including pain and suffering before death, medical bills incurred, and punitive damages against particularly egregious defendants. Both the wrongful death claim and the survival action can be filed together and often are.
What Damages California Wrongful Death Families Can Recover
California wrongful death damages fall into economic and non-economic categories. Economic damages — as the California Courts Self-Help Center explains — are the measurable financial losses: loss of the decedent’s financial support to the family (measured by projected future earnings), loss of household services (the monetary value of childcare, cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance the decedent would have provided), funeral and burial expenses, and the reasonable value of gifts or benefits the decedent would have contributed. Non-economic damages cover the loss of love, companionship, comfort, affection, society, moral support, and training and guidance — the human value of the relationship itself.
One thing California wrongful death law does not allow: the grief, sorrow, or mental anguish of the surviving family members themselves. That is an unusual rule in the American legal landscape and it surprises almost every new client. What the law does compensate is the value of what was lost — the relationship, the contributions, the presence — not the pain of the loss. Our job is to translate the specific life of the decedent and the specific role they played in their family into concrete economic and non-economic evidence a jury can understand and value.
Common Causes of California Wrongful Death Cases
Fatal cases come from every corner of personal injury practice:
- Fatal car accidents — rear-end, head-on, intersection collisions, and high-speed freeway crashes
- Fatal truck accidents — 18-wheeler rollovers, jackknife events, and rear-end impacts
- Fatal motorcycle accidents — often caused by a left-turning driver who “didn’t see” the rider
- Fatal pedestrian accidents — hit-and-run, crosswalk strikes, and parking-lot fatalities
- Fatal bicycle accidents — dooring fatalities, right-hook collisions, and motorists running red lights
- Fatal drunk driving accidents — unlock punitive damages on top of compensatory
- Fatal bus accidents — common carrier duties and government claim deadlines
- Fatal falls and premises liability cases — especially for older clients suffering hip-fracture complications
- Fatal burn injuries — apartment fires, industrial explosions, and post-collision fires
- Fatal workplace incidents — construction accidents, industrial equipment failures, and exposure cases
- Medical negligence deaths — surgical errors, delayed diagnoses, and medication errors
- Nursing home neglect deaths — pressure ulcers, dehydration, falls, and elopement
How We Value a California Wrongful Death Case
Valuing a wrongful death case is both harder and more structured than valuing an injury case. Economic losses are modeled by forensic economists using actuarial tables, wage data, and household-services valuations. Non-economic losses — loss of companionship — are shaped by the strength and history of the family relationships. What pushes a California wrongful death case toward the top of its range:
- Working-age decedent with strong, provable earnings history and remaining work life
- Multiple eligible plaintiffs (surviving spouse plus minor children) magnifying companionship damages
- Clear liability — signed police report, eyewitnesses, video evidence
- Egregious defendant conduct — DUI, phone use, hours-of-service violations, prior safety issues — which opens punitive damages under the survival action
- Multiple layers of coverage and multiple defendants
Our firm’s track record includes eight-figure recoveries on fatal truck accident and motorcycle accident cases. We invest in forensic economists, life-care planners, vocational experts, accident reconstructionists, and biomechanical engineers. We only take wrongful death cases we are prepared to try. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is unique.
California Deadlines You Cannot Miss
California wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death under CCP § 377.60. Not two years from the date of the underlying accident — the clock runs from the death. When the responsible party is a public entity — a CHP officer, a city garbage truck, a public transit bus, a public hospital — you have only six months to file a written government claim under California Government Code § 911.2 before you can sue. Medical negligence wrongful death cases are governed by MICRA and have their own time limits. Missing any of these deadlines ends the family’s right to recover.
California Venues for Wrongful Death Litigation
Our attorneys try wrongful death cases at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles County, at the LA Superior Court branches in Beverly Hills and Long Beach serving Beverly Hills and Long Beach, at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse serving Long Beach, at the Civic Center Courthouse in San Francisco, at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland, at the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse in Sacramento, and at the Rio Hondo Courthouse serving Bell Gardens.
First Steps After a Sudden California Death
In the immediate aftermath of a sudden death, nothing we say is going to feel helpful. What we can tell families is this: do not sign anything from an insurance company. Do not give a recorded statement. Do not accept a “courtesy” payment. Do not let the responsible party’s carrier control the conversation. Preserve every piece of paper you receive — the police report number, the coroner’s report, the hospital records, the funeral home paperwork. Take your time with the decisions that can wait, and call a wrongful death attorney for the decisions that cannot. We will handle the preservation letters, the evidence work, the insurance claims, and the litigation so the family can be present with each other.
Meet the Attorneys Leading Your Case
Your case at Compass Law Group is led by one of our two managing partners. Together they bring decades of California personal injury trial experience, hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, and a courtroom record that forces defense carriers to take the case seriously from day one.
Joseph Shirazi — Managing Partner, CA Bar #265403. A Loyola Law School graduate named to the National Top 100 Trial Lawyers and holder of an Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating. His results include a $14,500,000 truck accident verdict and a $13,000,000 trial verdict. He is a member of Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and the American Association for Justice. Read Joseph Shirazi’s full bio →
Simon Esfandi — Managing Partner, CA Bar #275307. A Southwestern Law School graduate recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. He led the firm’s $9,870,000 motorcycle accident settlement and a $2,250,000 rideshare recovery, and focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury trials. Read Simon Esfandi’s full bio →
Both partners are admitted to practice in every California state trial court and in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Compass Law Group was founded in 2015, maintains a 5.0/5.0 rating on Google across 193+ verified client reviews, and has recovered more than $250,000,000 for injury victims across the state. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is unique.
Why Compass Law Group
- $250,000,000+ recovered for California injury and wrongful death victims
- Seven and eight-figure results on fatal truck accident and motorcycle accident cases — past results do not guarantee future outcomes
- 5.0 stars on Google, 193+ verified client reviews
- Seven California offices — Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, Bell Gardens
- No win, no fee — we advance every cost and only get paid when you do
- Free confidential consultations in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Korean — available 24/7 at (213) 320-1001
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in California?
Under CCP § 377.60, the surviving spouse or registered domestic partner, the decedent’s children, and — if none of those exist — the people who would inherit under California intestate succession. Dependent putative spouses, stepchildren, and parents can also file if they can prove financial dependence.
What damages are available in a California wrongful death case?
Economic damages including loss of financial support, loss of household services, and funeral/burial expenses. Non-economic damages for loss of love, companionship, affection, comfort, and moral support. Survival action damages for the decedent’s pre-death pain, medical bills, and punitive damages when the defendant’s conduct was egregious. California does NOT allow recovery for the surviving family member’s own grief or sorrow.
What is the statute of limitations for wrongful death in California?
Two years from the date of death under CCP § 335.1 / § 377.60. Six months to file a written government claim under Government Code § 911.2 when a public entity is responsible. Medical negligence cases follow MICRA rules.
What is the average wrongful death settlement in California?
There is no average. Wrongful death verdicts and settlements range from six figures to eight figures depending on the age and earnings of the decedent, the number of eligible plaintiffs, the strength of liability evidence, and the conduct of the defendant. Every case is unique.
Is there a cap on wrongful death damages in California?
No cap on ordinary wrongful death damages. Medical negligence wrongful death cases are subject to the MICRA cap on non-economic damages, which was increased by 2023 legislation and now escalates annually.
What is the difference between a wrongful death claim and a survival action?
A wrongful death claim (CCP § 377.60) is brought by the family and compensates them for their losses. A survival action (CCP § 377.30) is brought by the estate and compensates for what the decedent themselves could have recovered — pre-death pain, medical bills, and punitive damages.
How long does a wrongful death lawsuit take?
Most California wrongful death cases resolve within 12 to 36 months. Catastrophic cases with multiple defendants and complex liability can take longer if they proceed to trial.
Talk to a California Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
If your family has lost a loved one to the negligence or wrongful act of another anywhere in California, call Compass Law Group, LLP at (213) 320-1001 for a free and confidential consultation. No-win no-fee representation, 24/7 availability in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Korean.
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California's
Gold Standard
Injury Law Firm
With Joseph Shirazi and Simon Esfandi at the helm, our firm is a trusted name in accident law in California.
Meet Our Managing Partners
National Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Avvo 10.0 Superb. Loyola Law School graduate. Recognized for his $14,500,000 truck accident verdict and a $13,000,000 trial verdict.
Read Full Bio →
Super Lawyers Rising Star. Southwestern Law School graduate. Led the firm’s $9,870,000 motorcycle accident settlement and a $2,250,000 rideshare recovery.
Read Full Bio →- ★ National Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- ★ Super Lawyers Rising Star
- ★ Avvo 10.0 Superb Rating
- ★ Top 40 Under 40
- ★ Consumer Attorneys of California · CAALA · AAJ
Countless Real Client Reviews Verified by Google
Jerry
After 10 accidents and 9 attorneys, the client met Simon, who stood out for his honesty and clear communication. Years later, after another accident, the client called Simon and was impressed by his professionalism and follow-through. Simon explained everything, connected him with top doctors, and kept every promise. It was the first time the client felt truly supported—highly recommending Simon and Joseph for their integrity and dedication.
Jacob
Jacob was rear-ended by a big rig and left nearly paralyzed for a year. He found Cooper Law Group, and Joseph and Simon personally helped him through the legal process. Over two years, they ensured he got the medical care and surgeries he needed, helped repair his car, and secured the compensation he deserved. He highly recommends them for truly fighting for their clients.
Blandine
During the early days of COVID, Blandine was hit by a car while biking to work. Alone and unsure of what to do, they found Compass Law Group. Joseph was the first to respond with care and clarity. Throughout the case, the team—Joseph, Simon, and Julie—provided support, regular check-ins, and made the client feel safe and cared for. They now consider the firm like family and highly recommend them for their compassion and competence.
Wrongful Death
Frequently Asked
Questions
What kind of lawyer do I need for a wrongful death lawsuit?
For a wrongful death claim, you need an experienced personal injury attorney specializing in wrongful death cases who will help you navigate the legal complexities and fight for the justice your family deserves.
What is the average payout for a wrongful death lawsuit?
The value of a wrongful death lawsuit can vary depending on the cause of death, the circumstances surrounding it, and the damages involved. An experienced Los Angeles wrongful death attorney will be able to give you a better understanding of the potential compensation based on the specifics of your case.
Is it hard to win a wrongful death lawsuit?
Winning a wrongful death lawsuit can be challenging, as it requires proving that the defendant’s actions directly caused the death of your loved one. However, with the right wrongful death lawyer in Los Angeles, the process can be much smoother. A skilled attorney will help you gather evidence, present a strong case, and fight for the compensation you deserve.