If your loved one has died because of someone else’s negligence or action, you have your hands full. You grieve; you pull together as a family to prepare for the burial. Thereafter, you undertake the task of informing government entities of the person’s death. You may not realize that during this time, the clock is ticking and your time to file a wrongful death suit is running out.

Who Files the Suit?

The surviving spouse or children may file the suit. You may also file if you are a parent, sibling or other family member when there is no spouse or children. Unfortunately, these are the people who are suffering the most at this time and may not have the ability to deal with the legal issues involved in bringing a case.

How Much Time do You Have?

In the majority of cases, you only have two years from your loved one’s death to bring a case. Not meeting this deadline will likely result in your loss of legal rights. In other words, you will be unable to recoup burial expenses, medical bills, and the loss of income that would have otherwise allowed you to keep the house or send the kids to college.

Protecting Your Rights

Even though you do not feel like pursuing a wrongful death suit after your loss, consider that protecting your rights is vital. This is particularly true when children’s interests are involved. Filing within the time set forth by the State of California protects your and their rights. Contact us today to learn more about the time limits imposed on your case.