Wrongful Death

The Law Offices of Esteban Valenzuela represents families throughout Southern California who have lost a loved one in an automobile or truck accident, workplace accident, or incident involving defective products.

Our attorneys understand that losing a loved one is an exceptionally difficult event, and are dedicated to providing compassionate support to help guide you through the process of recovering for the financial and emotional losses you have suffered.  Our Santa Maria personal injury attorneys represent clients in the San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield, Tulare, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, Riverside, Coachella, and Indio.

Wrongful Death vs. Personal Injury

In personal injury litigation, the plaintiff is the individual who suffered an injury. In a wrongful death case, however, the plaintiff is a surviving family member who has lost a loved one. Under California law, possible plaintiffs in a wrongful death suit may include:

• Surviving spouses
• Domestic partners
• Children
• Grandchildren
• Minors and dependants
• Heirs by intestate succession (according to California law) if no other relatives survive

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence or wrongful act of another, contact an attorney as soon as possible, as an action for wrongful death must be brought within two years of the date of death, or it will be barred by statute and you will lose the opportunity to file suit. At the Santa Maria injury law firm of Esteban Valenzuela, when we take on a case, we begin an immediate investigation to preserve valuable evidence, secure eyewitness testimony, and identify the proper defendants.

Damages You May Recover in California

In California, an action for wrongful death is intended to compensate the deceased's survivors for their own losses. Damages suffered by the injured victim before death, such as medical bills or pain and suffering, may only be recovered by a representative of the deceased's estate in a "survival action." Recoverable damages in a wrongful death claim can encompass both economic and noneconomic damages, including:

• Financial support the deceased would have contributed to the survivor
• Loss of gifts or benefits the heir would have received from the deceased
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Reasonable value of household services the deceased would have provided
• Loss of the deceased's love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, moral support, and guidance.

Compassionate Legal Assistance - Se Habla Español.

Our firm has three decades of experience guiding plaintiffs though times of great sorrow. If you have recently lost a family member due to the negligence or wrongful acts of another, contact the Law Offices of Esteban Valenzuela today at 888-341-3891 for a free initial consultation.