Best New York City Wrongful Death Attorneys
in 2025 
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Camron Dowlatshahi MSD Employment Lawyers |
Call Today 213-628-3856 |
View Profile |
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Michael Rose Hach & Rose LLP |
Call Today 212-779-0057 |
View Profile |
Our Selection Process
Attorney at Law Magazine seeks to provide consumers with a go-to list of top attorneys for their legal needs. To that end, we require all listed attorneys meet the following qualifications. The attorney must have an active license to practice law in all the states in which they are listed; the attorney must have no history of disciplinary action or criminal history; the attorney must have a minimum of five years in the practice of law; and the attorney must have a minimum of a 4+ star consumer rating. Each listing provides an at-a-glance look at some of the attorney’s top cases as well as some of the other attributes that distinguish them from their peers. If you believe any attorney listed does not meet these qualifications, please notify us via email at [email protected].
How to Select the Best Wrongful Death Attorney
Step 1: Reach out to multiple New York City wrongful death attorneys to schedule a free consultation. You will want to meet with a few attorneys to see who is the best fit for you and for your case.
Step 2: The consultation. Look at the consultation with each lawyer as an interview. Be prepared with questions to ask. You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you. Start off by providing the details of your case and getting their opinion on the viability of your case as well as how they foresee the case unfolding. You will want to ask them if they’ve worked on a similar case and the results they achieved. You’ll also want to ask if they’re prepared to litigate your case. Many wrongful death claims are settled without litigation; however, there is a chance your case will go to trial which is why you should always be prepared.
Make sure you understand the attorney’s communication process and what to expect if you choose them as your attorney. You should feel entirely comfortable with the attorney during the initial consultation. Some cases can take years to settle or finalize, so you need to be confident in the attorney handling your matter.
Step 3: The agreement. Following the initial consultation, most attorneys will send you a fee agreement to review. Make sure you thoroughly read and understand the agreement, including the attorney’s fees. When comparing different attorneys, a lower fee is now always the best option for you and your case. Additionally, make sure to note what may occur if you decide to switch attorneys during your case. Many attorneys will have a clause in the agreement allowing them to place a lien if you switch attorneys. This is another reason why carefully selecting your attorney from the start is wise.
Step 4: Hire the New York City wrongful death attorney you feel the most comfortable with and who you believe will fight the hardest for you.
Recommendations While You Wait to Connect to an Attorney
- If you have not already seen a doctor since your injury, setting up an appointment should be a priority. Even mild injuries should be treated. Medical costs can be recovered in your settlement so do not wait to get the proper treatment.
- Don’t post anything on social media regarding your injury or the circumstances surrounding it.
- Don’t talk to the other driver’s insurance representative. If they call you, immediately say you have an attorney handling your case and they will be in communication. Then hang up as everything you say is being recorded on a private line.
- Don’t try to file the case on your own. Wrongful death attorneys can recover significantly more than individuals who represent themselves. Insurance companies work every day to figure out how to give the least amount and discredit your claim. Why not team up with an attorney who works even harder to get the maximum settlement for their clients?
- Organize all the evidence you have from the accident and get prepared for your meeting by creating a series of questions to ask the attorney.
- Prioritize hiring the right attorney for you so you can file your claim as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does a wrongful death attorney charge in New York City, New York?
Wrongful death attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means you (the client) don’t have to pay anything upfront. Instead, your attorney will take a percentage of the overall settlement. If your attorney doesn’t win, you don’t have to pay them anything. This also means your attorney will not settle for a minimum payout from the insurance parties. They will fight their hardest (at least the ones we’ve listed will) to get you the highest settlement possible.
Typically, wrongful death attorneys in New York charge 33% of the overall settlement. This percentage can vary depending on the attorney you engage, the type of case, the severity of the injury as well as if the case needs to proceed to litigation.- Do all the wrongful death attorneys in your directory offer free consultations?
Yes, all the attorneys in our list offer free consultations to wrongful death victims. We like to call these free case evaluations as the attorneys will review the merits of your case and determine the likelihood of a positive outcome. If the attorney thinks you have a strong case, they will most likely offer to take it on. If they see potential issues with your case or don’t believe they are the right fit for the case, they will likely inform you of those problems and may provide a referral to a lawyer who they believe can help you. If an attorney chooses not to take on your case, you can always get a second opinion from another attorney. Many lawyers have made their careers obtaining successful outcomes on cases other attorneys have turned down.
- Are all the wrongful death attorneys listed in your directory trial attorneys? Will they take my case to court if needed?
Yes, all our listed attorneys are trial lawyers with considerable experience. The market in New York is filled with attorneys who only focus on pre-litigation. If your case cannot be settled and needs to go to trial, these pre-litigation lawyers will typically refer your case out to another attorney (like those listed in our directory). By hiring a trial lawyer at the outset of your case, you know they are prepared to handle your matter from pre-litigation all the way through trial (if necessary).
- What is the average wrongful death settlement in New York City?
The average settlement for a wrongful death victim is going to vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury, whether the other party has good insurance, the vehicle damages and the potential impact of the injury on your future (employment, medical bills, therapy bills, ongoing treatments, etc.). Many attorneys will not provide an estimate.
Studies conducted by the Insurance Research Council have shown, however, that accident victims with legal representation receive settlements that are nearly 3.5 times higher than those without legal representation.- How long does someone have to submit a wrongful death claim in New York?
In the majority of wrongful death claims, the victim has two years to submit their claim. The only time this is different is if the claim involves a government party. In this case, you will have 180 days to file a notice to the applicable state or federal government agency.
- How long will it take to settle a wrongful death claim in New York?
The average time it takes to settle a wrongful death claim is six months to two years. The actual time will depend on a variety of factors including if the victim’s insurance company wants to settle before litigation and how cooperative both parties are during the process. If the claim proceeds to litigation, it can often exceed two years. But the payouts are usually considerably higher.