Best Wrongful Death Law Firms for Fatal Accident Claims

Wrongful death lawyers handle claims brought after a person dies because of someone else's carelessness. Most of that work involves fatal car and truck crashes, medical mistakes, workplace accidents, defective products, and nursing home neglect. Once a case opens, the attorney pulls the records, determines who was at fault, and assigns a value to the family's losses. That figure covers funeral expenses, lost income and support, and the loss of a parent or spouse. Most firms review a case at no charge.

Listed Wrongful Death Lawyers are ranked by one score, applied the same way to every firm. It draws on public signals, including:

  • Client satisfaction and overall online reputation
  • The volume and consistency of client feedback
  • How established the firm is
  • Peer recognition within the legal community and across the web

Ranked listings are ordered by our independent score. Featured listings are paid placements shown separately. See how we rank law firms.

Find Top Wrongful Death Attorneys Near Me

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Leading Wrongful Death Attorneys for Fatal Crash, Medical Negligence & Workplace Death Claims

Screenshot of the Baumgartner Law Firm Website

Baumgartner Law Firm is a personal injury law firm in Houston, TX, handling serious accident and wrongful death cases since 1985. Founder Greg Baumgartner holds dual law degrees, a distinction fewer than 1% of attorneys share.

The firm has recovered more than $100 million for clients, including a $5 million car accident settlement involving a brain injury and $1.5 million in a fatal crash tied to a defective vehicle. Cases cover truck wrecks, construction accidents, catastrophic injury, and dram shop liability.

Baumgartner limits the number of cases it accepts. Consultations are free, and fees are contingent on recovery. Recognition includes National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and Super Lawyers.

Screenshot of the FVF Law Firm - Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers Website

FVF Law Firm is a team of Austin wrongful death lawyers serving families across Central Texas. The firm has recovered more than $20 million in fatal accident cases, and its attorneys hold Super Lawyers recognition.

FVF takes claims involving car and truck crashes, workplace deaths, and other acts of negligence. The attorneys explain how Texas law defines damages, who may file, and how much time a family has to act.

What clients get:

  • Free case reviews by phone or in person
  • No fees unless the firm wins
  • Direct attorney contact from start to finish

Most families call after an insurance adjuster has already reached out. FVF steps in early and handles those conversations instead.

Screenshot of the Leah Wise Law Firm, PLLC Website

Leah Wise Law Firm is a Pharr, TX injury practice known across South Texas as the home of the CrashGal. The firm has won over $100 million for clients, including a $7.5 million construction accident result.

Leah Wise and her team take fatal accident claims along with car, truck, and 18-wheeler crashes, DWI collisions, and medical malpractice. Offices in the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, and New Mexico let the firm cover cases statewide.

Staff speaks Spanish, and the phone line stays open 24 hours. Consultations cost nothing, and fees are deducted from the recovery rather than paid up front.

Leah Wise was recognized for Texas's largest settlement in 2020 and sits among the Best of the Bar.

Screenshot of the Claggett, Sykes & Garza LLC Website

Connecticut families dealing with a fatal crash can turn to Claggett, Sykes & Garza LLC in Glastonbury. The trial lawyers here have recovered more than $1.5 billion, a figure that puts them among the most recognized litigators in the country.

This firm tries cases instead of settling quietly, which matters when an insurer disputes fault. The work covers deadly motor vehicle collisions, trucking cases, and catastrophic injury claims.

What sets the firm apart:

  • Free case evaluations
  • Trial experience in state and federal court
  • Co-counsel work with firms nationwide

Attorneys review medical records, police reports, and expert witness findings before anything reaches court.

Screenshot of the Sears Injury Law, PLLC - Puyallup's #1 Car Accident, Wrongful Death, and Brain Injury Lawyers Website

Sears Injury Law, PLLC is a Puyallup wrongful death and brain injury firm serving Pierce County. The team recovers more than $100 million a year and has handled over 12,000 cases.

Traumatic brain injury claims, deadly car crashes, and catastrophic injury matters make up most of the caseload. Fees apply only if the firm wins, so there is no cost to start.

Screenshot of the Sigman Janssen Law Firm Website

With about 100 years of combined experience, Sigman Janssen Law Firm represents Appleton families after fatal accidents. The Wisconsin firm has recovered more than $100 million for injured people and surviving relatives.

Cases run from car and truck crashes to workers' compensation and serious injury claims across the Fox Valley. Clients pay no upfront fees.

Screenshot of the Neff Injury Law Website
3975 Roswell Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30342, USA

Michael L. Neff wrote two books on premises liability that other trial lawyers use. His Atlanta firm, Neff Injury Law, focuses only on serious injury and wrongful death cases.

Four lawyers usually handle no more than 20 cases at a time. Results include a $47 million negligent security verdict for a client who lost a leg. The firm also takes rideshare sexual assault and daycare abuse cases.

Screenshot of the Wrongful Death Krause Law Firm Website
125 Clairemont Ave Ste 470, Decatur, GA 30030, USA

Roger Krause built his Decatur practice around one thing: fatal negligence cases. Wrongful Death Krause Law Firm takes nothing else, which is unusual for a Georgia injury attorney.

The National Trial Lawyers named him to its Top 100 list. He serves families in Atlanta and DeKalb County, and consultations are free at any hour, including nights and weekends.

Screenshot of the Rosengard Law Group, Personal Injury Lawyers Website

Rosengard Law Group is a Cherry Hill personal injury law firm serving all of New Jersey. Adam Rosengard handles car crashes, slip and fall claims, product liability, brain injuries, and death claims caused by another party's carelessness.

The firm works on a contingent fee, so clients pay only out of a recovery. Phone lines stay open around the clock for free case evaluations.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of Timothy Grabe Website
909 SW St Clair Ave suite 1c, Portland, OR, USA

Portland wrongful death attorney Timothy Grabe has tried injury cases for more than 35 years. One drunk-driving case ended in a $27 million verdict.

His Oregon practice covers deadly collisions, catastrophic injuries, and disputes with insurance carriers. Grabe handles files personally rather than passing them to staff, and clients owe nothing unless he wins.

Screenshot of the Keene Personal Injury Attorney Website

The Keene office of Shaheen & Gordon represents injured people throughout southwestern New Hampshire. Attorneys take car accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and claims brought after a preventable death.

New Hampshire's statute of limitations gives most people three years to file, so the firm pushes for early contact. Consultations are free and fees come from the settlement.

Screenshot of the Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC Website

Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC is a Lexington firm that has recovered more than $1 billion for Kentucky clients. One case produced a jury verdict above $40 million.

The attorneys take deadly collisions, trucking claims, and spinal cord injury cases across central Kentucky. Case evaluations are free.

Screenshot of the The Schiller Kessler Group Website

The Schiller Kessler Group has handled over 10,000 Florida injury and fatal accident claims from its Davie office. Someone answers the phone at any hour, and fees come only from a win.

Screenshot of the Killian, Davis & Richter, P.C. Website

Killian, Davis & Richter, P.C. represents Grand Junction families in fatal accident and serious injury cases. Best Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 have both recognized the firm. Consultations are free.

Screenshot of the Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers Website

Belt, Bruner & Barnett is a Birmingham personal injury law firm with over 90 years of combined experience. The attorneys pursue full compensation for Alabama accident victims and surviving families, starting with a free consultation.

Screenshot of the Ruhmann Law Firm Website

El Paso attorney Charles Ruhmann takes fatal accident and serious injury cases across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. He holds Super Lawyers recognition, and the office is bilingual.

Screenshot of the Giometti & Mereness P.C. Website
501 S Cherry St # 1000, Denver, CO 80246, USA

Giometti & Mereness P.C. brings 75 years of combined trial experience to Denver injury work. Its attorneys have published on Colorado death claims and insurance bad faith law.

Screenshot of the Davis & Snyder Injury Attorneys Website

Davis & Snyder Injury Attorneys are Greenville wrongful death lawyers with more than 100 years of combined experience. The trial-focused team offers free consultations to South Carolina families.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a wrongful death lawyer cost?

Nothing up front. Nearly all of these firms work on a contingency fee, usually a third to 40 percent of the recovery. Case expenses like expert witness fees are typically advanced by the firm and repaid from the settlement. If there is no recovery, most agreements leave the family owing nothing.

Who is allowed to file a wrongful death claim?

It depends on the state. Some states let the spouse, children, or parents file directly. Others require the personal representative of the estate to bring the claim on the family's behalf. That representative is appointed through probate, which is one reason families are told to call a lawyer early.

How long does a family have to file?

Usually two years. Most states set a two-year deadline that runs from the date of death, not the date of the accident. A few states allow only one year. Miss the deadline and recovery may be blocked no matter how strong the case is.

What can a family recover?

Two sets of losses. Economic damages cover funeral and burial costs, medical bills before death, and the income and benefits the person would have earned. Non-economic damages cover loss of companionship, guidance, and the relationship itself. Some states also allow punitive damages when the conduct was reckless.

What is a survival action?

A separate claim. A survival action recovers what the person themselves suffered between the injury and death, including conscious pain and medical costs. The wrongful death claim covers what the family lost. Many states allow both to be filed together.

What if the person who died was partly at fault?

Recovery usually shrinks, not disappears. Most states reduce the award by the deceased person's share of fault. A handful bar recovery entirely if the person was even slightly to blame. This is why fault investigation matters so much in these cases.

Can you sue a government agency or a city?

Yes, but the clock is shorter. Claims against federal agencies run through the Federal Tort Claims Act and start with an administrative claim. Many state and local governments require written notice within a few months. These deadlines are strict and separate from the regular filing period.

How long does a wrongful death case take?

Often a year or more. Clear liability and adequate insurance can produce a settlement in months. Disputed fault, multiple defendants, or a trial date can push a case past two years. Medical negligence claims tend to run longest.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases Lawyers Handle

Fatal car and truck crashes. Highway collisions, drunk driving, and commercial trucking cases make up the largest share of these claims. Trucking cases add layers: the driver, the carrier, and sometimes the shipper can all share liability. Federal driving logs and black box data often decide fault.

Medical negligence. Surgical errors, missed diagnoses, birth injuries, and medication mistakes fall here. Most states require an expert affidavit before the case can proceed. Many also cap non-economic damages in medical cases.

Workplace and construction deaths. Workers' compensation covers the employer, but a third party such as a contractor or equipment maker can still be sued. Those claims often recover far more than comp benefits alone. OSHA findings frequently support them.

Defective products. Faulty vehicle parts, machinery, medical devices, and consumer goods lead to product liability claims. The manufacturer, distributor, and retailer can all be defendants. Proof usually turns on engineering testimony.

Nursing home and elder neglect. Untreated bedsores, falls, medication errors, and dehydration cause preventable deaths in long-term care. State inspection reports and staffing records carry weight here. Many facilities push these disputes into arbitration.

Premises and security failures. Drownings, fires, structural collapses, and shootings on poorly secured property fall under premises liability. The question is whether the owner knew about the hazard. Prior incident reports usually answer it.

How to Choose a Wrongful Death Lawyer

Ask how many death cases they have tried. Injury practice is broad, and death claims are a narrow slice of it. Ask for trial experience specifically, not just settlements.

Check that they know your state's rules. Filing rights, deadlines, and damage caps change at every state line. A firm that regularly practices where the death occurred will know the local court and its judges.

Confirm they can fund the case. These claims need accident reconstructionists, economists, and medical experts. Ask who pays those costs while the case is pending.

Get the fee agreement in writing. Percentages rise if a case goes to trial, and expenses are handled differently by different firms. Read how costs are deducted before you sign.

Find out who actually handles the file. Some firms assign the case to a paralegal after intake. Ask which attorney will take depositions and speak to you directly.