Losing a loved one is never easy. Learning that their death was preventable only adds to the heartache. Under California law, you may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim against those responsible for your loved one’s passing.
Demas Law Group, P.C. represents families in Elk Grove and throughout Northern California after preventable deaths. For over three decades, our attorneys have handled serious personal injury and wrongful death cases involving individuals, businesses, insurance companies, and government entities. We understand that compensation cannot replace your loved one, but a wrongful death claim can help provide financial security for your family and hold responsible parties accountable.
If you lost someone you love because of negligence in Elk Grove, contact an Elk Grove wrongful death lawyer at Demas Law Group, P.C. Call (916) 444-0100 for a free, confidential consultation. There are no upfront costs, and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your family.
How Our Attorneys Can Help With Your Elk Grove Wrongful Death Claim
A wrongful death claim can involve complicated questions about liability, insurance coverage, financial losses, and who has the right to pursue compensation. Demas Law Group handles these legal responsibilities while giving your family the time and space to grieve.
- Investigate the circumstances — We gather records, photographs, video footage, witness statements, physical evidence, and other information to determine what caused your loved one’s death.
- Preserve critical evidence — We take prompt steps to preserve evidence that could otherwise be lost, destroyed, altered, or become more difficult to obtain.
- Identify responsible parties — We investigate every individual, business, government entity, or other party whose negligence may have contributed to the death.
- Coordinate expert analysis — When appropriate, we work with accident reconstruction specialists, physicians, economists, and other professionals to establish liability and damages.
- Document your family’s losses — We gather evidence of lost financial support, household services, funeral expenses, companionship, and other losses available under California law.
- Handle insurers and defendants — We manage communications and negotiations so your family does not have to deal directly with insurance adjusters or defense attorneys.
- Prepare for trial — If those responsible refuse a fair resolution, we have the experience and resources to pursue your family’s claim in court.
There are no upfront costs to hire Demas Law Group, and your family pays no attorney fees unless we recover compensation.
What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?
A wrongful death occurs when a person dies due to the wrongful acts or omissions of another party. Often, these cases involve deaths due to someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts.
Wrongful death claims allow surviving family members to recover compensation for financial and personal losses caused by their loved one’s death.
Common examples of wrongful acts that may give rise to a wrongful death claim include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Premises liability accidents
- Product liability accidents (e.g., defective airbags or power tools)
- Medical malpractice
- Dog bites and dog attack injuries
- Child abuse
- Elder abuse or neglect
Who Can File for Wrongful Death in California?
In California, specific family members have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit, including:
- A spouse or domestic partner
- The victim’s children (or grandchildren if their children have died)
- Minor children (such as stepchildren) who were dependent on the victim for at least 50 percent of their financial support
- Any family member entitled to inherit from the victim under California’s intestacy laws
The California statute of limitations for wrongful death claims gives your family two years from the date of your loved one’s death to file a lawsuit. Families must bring survival actions within two years of the wrongful act or six months after the victim’s death, whichever is later. In some cases, combining a wrongful death suit and a survival action into one lawsuit is possible. It is critical to contact an Elk Grove personal injury law firm as soon as possible to ensure you file by the correct deadline.
Wrongful death cases can involve complex factual and legal issues. Hiring legal counsel to advocate for your family’s right to financial recovery and accountability can give you the best chance at securing a favorable outcome to your wrongful death case.
Compensation We Can Help You Recover for the Loss of a Loved One
If your family member died due to another party’s wrongful conduct, you could qualify to seek compensation in two ways. The first is a wrongful death lawsuit. These cases provide compensation to family members for the losses they suffer due to their relative’s death.
Families can also pursue compensation in a separate action called a survival action. Whereas wrongful death claims compensate surviving family members for the losses they incur due to their loved one’s death, a survival action allows the victim’s estate to seek compensation for the injuries the victim suffered. In other words, a survival action represents the personal injury claim the victim could have filed if they survived.
Financial compensation available in wrongful death claims includes:
- Financial support the victim would have provided to their family during their lifetime
- Loss of inheritances, gifts, or benefits that heirs would have received
- Funeral and burial expenses
- The reasonable value of household services the victim performed, such as home repairs, housekeeping, or childcare
- The victim’s love, companionship, care, comfort, assistance, protection, affection, society, and moral support
- A spouse’s loss of a decedent’s intimacy and companionship
Compensation available in a survival action includes:
- Loss of income between the victim’s date of injury and death
- Medical expenses before their death
- Pain and suffering (up until Jan. 1, 2026, unless the California legislature decides otherwise)
- Property damage related to the victim’s injuries
Additionally, punitive damages may be recoverable if the at-fault party’s actions were especially reckless or egregious.
Why Choose Demas Law Group?
Your family deserves justice, and your loved one’s memory should be honored. Hiring experienced, dedicated legal counsel to handle your wrongful death case can help you enforce your rights while getting the space you need to grieve and heal.
A wrongful death lawyer from Demas Law Group will provide sympathetic and uncompromising legal service during this difficult time. We have:
- Decades of experience: John N. Demas has more than 30 years of experience representing injured Californians and their families.
- 99 percent success rate: Our team has a strong record of recovering compensation through settlements and verdicts.
- Proven results: We have secured multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in complex wrongful death cases.
- Former insurance defense attorneys: We understand the strategies insurers use to challenge liability and minimize compensation.
- Expert resources: We work with medical, economic, reconstruction, and other experts when a case requires specialized analysis.
- Trial-ready representation: We are prepared to take your wrongful death claim to court when necessary.
- Multilingual service: Our team assists clients in English, Spanish, Greek, Filipino, and Polish.
- No fees unless we win: You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your family.
