Wrongful Death Attorneys San Diego

Our San Diego Law Firm Guides Families Through Wrongful Death Claims

Our legal team gives you the emotional and legal support you need

Sidiropoulos Law Firm, APC was formed in 1996 to help injury victims and their families through the difficult aftermath of serious accidents. When our firm takes your case, we commit to giving you the full emotional and legal support you need. We know you are mourning the loss of your loved one and we treat your family with respect and compassion during the legal process.

Wrongful death legal procedures

In most cases, you have only two years to file a wrongful death claim. The personal representative of your loved one’s estate is responsible for filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Damages are awarded to the estate and distributed to the beneficiaries according to the laws of inheritance.

The wrongful death claim is based on the underlying personal injury cause of action. You must, therefore, prove the elements of the personal injury case. For example, you would have to show the driver was negligent in your loved one’s fatal car accident and that the death resulted from the crash. If your loved one filed a lawsuit before dying, the case survives and allows family members to collect on damages awarded. The personal injury claim may be in addition to your wrongful death lawsuit.

Damages for an accidental death

The damages you recover in a wrongful death claim depend on the circumstances of your loved one’s death and the actual losses you and your family sustained. Damages in the catastrophic accident claim may include:

➣Funeral and burial expenses

➣Medical bills arising from the fatal injuries

➣Lost anticipated income

➣Lost benefits, such as Social Security, health insurance and pensions

➣Value of household services, including childcare, landscaping, housework, accounting, home repair, security and cooking

➣Loss of companionship, love, friendship, guidance, advice and protection

When suicide is caused by another’s actions

Suicide is a complicated action that is often triggered by a series of complex problems. The most loving, close-knit families are not immune to the tragedy. In many cases, the reasons are impossible to comprehend. However, sometimes the catalyst is obvious — persistent bullying, abuse and assault by peers and neglect by the people tasked with a child’s care. The popularity of social media sites have exacerbated harassment of teens, in part because of the ability to stay anonymous and remain out of the direct view of adults. Technology has also allowed humiliating videos, images and messages to go viral and become inescapable through time or distance.

If you believe others drove your child to commit suicide, you may have a wrongful death claim. Although a lawsuit can never replace your loss, it allows you to bring your child’s tormentors to justice. Your actions may also prevent a similar tragedy for another family by exposing the people responsible for your child’s death.

Learn how we can help your family after your terrible loss

For more information about your rights in a wrongful death matter, call Sidiropoulos Law Firm, APC at 619-696-7005 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation. We represent you on a contingency basis.

Our law office is conveniently located at the edge of downtown San Diego near Balboa Park and in close proximity to the civil courthouse. To provide accessible representation to clients throughout Southern California — including Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties — we maintain satellite offices in Los Angeles, Imperial County and Vista. Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we are also available to you after hours and on weekends.