No settlement brings someone back, and we will never pretend otherwise. What a wrongful death case does is different: it tells the truth about what happened, it holds the responsible party accountable, and it protects the family left behind from carrying the financial weight of someone else's negligence. Verde Law handles wrongful death claims nationwide, and we handle everything, so your family's energy can go where it belongs.
Every state has a wrongful death law, and they differ
Who may file the claim varies: in some states, only the personal representative of the estate; in others, family members directly. Who counts as a survivor or beneficiary, what damages are allowed, and how long you have to act, often between one and three years, all depend on the state where the death occurred. The first thing we establish is which state's law governs and exactly what it requires, because filing under the wrong rules wastes time a grieving family should never lose.
If the death happened in Florida
Florida's Wrongful Death Act requires the claim to be brought by the personal representative of the estate on behalf of the survivors and the estate itself. Survivors can include the spouse, children, parents, and certain dependent relatives, and the deadline is generally two years. If no estate has been opened, we help the family open one as part of the case.
What compensation can cover
Loss of the support and services your loved one provided. Loss of companionship, protection, and guidance. Mental pain and suffering where the governing law allows it. Medical and funeral expenses. And the estate's own losses, including earnings the person would have brought home. We work with economists and life-care experts so the claim reflects a whole life, not a spreadsheet.
The criminal case is not your case
If charges are filed against the person responsible, that case runs separately. A civil wrongful death claim does not require a conviction, and an acquittal does not end it. Families do not have to wait on a prosecutor to seek accountability.
How we work with grieving families
One point of contact. Updates on your schedule, not ours. Every conversation in English or Spanish, and no fee unless we recover. We deal with the insurance company so you can take care of each other.
Who decides how any recovery is divided among the family?
The court, guided by the governing statute and each survivor's circumstances. We structure the claim from the start so every survivor's interest is protected.
How soon do we have to decide anything?
Sooner than feels right, honestly. Evidence fades and deadlines run whether or not a family is ready. A consultation preserves your options without committing you to anything.
When you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen, in English or Spanish, with no cost and no pressure.