When You've Lost Someone, We're Here to Listen.
Attorney Advertising. This article was prepared with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by Oaks Law Firm prior to publication.
Nothing prepares you for losing someone you love — and no legal case can undo it. But when a death was caused by someone else's negligence, California law gives certain family members the right to seek accountability and compensation for what they've lost. When you're ready, we're here to explain your options gently and honestly. The consultation is free, private, and carries no obligation of any kind.
- Free, confidential consultations — take the time you need
- No attorney's fees unless we recover for you; case costs and expenses are addressed separately in your written fee agreement
- Offices in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills, serving the San Fernando Valley, LA County, and all of California
Free, Private Consultation
Share as much or as little as you're comfortable with. A member of our team will follow up gently, on your timeline.
The Oaks Law Firm team at our Sherman Oaks office, overlooking the San Fernando Valley.
Compassion first. Then, when you're ready, answers.
Oaks Law Firm was founded in 2002 by attorney Matthew Nezhad on a simple idea: people deserve to be listened to, kept informed, and treated with genuine care while their case is fought hard. In wrongful death cases, that idea matters more than anywhere else.
We know that no phone call feels urgent when you're grieving — and that the legal system's deadlines don't wait for grief. Our role is to carry the legal weight so your family doesn't have to: the investigation, the insurance companies, the paperwork, the deadlines. You focus on each other. We'll handle the rest, and we'll keep you informed in plain language at every step.
- Founded in 2002 — serving California families for over two decades
- Offices in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills, with clients across LA County and statewide
- We can come to you — home visits available for grieving families
What is a wrongful death claim in California?
A wrongful death claim is a civil case that allows certain family members to seek compensation when a death was caused by another party's negligence or wrongful act — such as a fatal car crash, a dangerous property condition, or medical negligence. It is separate from any criminal case, and it belongs to the surviving family, not the state.
Under California law (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60), the right to bring a wrongful death claim generally belongs to the closest surviving family members — a spouse or domestic partner and children, and in some circumstances parents, stepchildren, or others who were financially dependent on the person who died. Who may file depends on the family's specific circumstances, and an attorney can explain how the law applies to yours.
California also recognizes a related but separate case called a survival action (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.30), brought by the estate for certain losses the person suffered before passing. Many families pursue both together; the distinction is technical, and it's part of what we explain clearly during a consultation.
Depending on the facts, compensation in a wrongful death case may address both financial losses — the income, benefits, and household support the person provided — and the profound personal losses: the love, companionship, comfort, care, and guidance that no family should have to put into words, but the law allows them to claim.
No article, and no attorney, can tell a family what their case is "worth." Every case depends entirely on its own facts. What we can promise is a thorough investigation, honest advice, and a team that treats your family's loss with the seriousness it deserves.
How long does a family have to file a wrongful death claim in California?
In most cases, a California wrongful death claim must be filed within two years of the date of death under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 — and if a government entity may be responsible, a formal written claim must generally be presented within six months under Government Code § 911.2.
We raise deadlines not to add pressure during an impossible time, but because we've seen families lose their rights by waiting — and that outcome adds a second injustice to the first. The six-month government deadline is especially unforgiving: it applies when a city, county, state agency, or public entity may share responsibility — a crash involving a government vehicle, a dangerous public road, or an incident on public property — and it comes long before most families are ready to think about legal matters.
There's also a practical reason to reach out earlier than feels natural: evidence fades. Footage is overwritten, vehicles are salvaged, witnesses move, and records become harder to obtain. Speaking with an attorney doesn't commit you to anything — it simply preserves your family's options while you decide, and lets someone else carry the deadlines. Whenever you're ready, we'll confirm exactly which timelines apply to your situation.
How the process works — at your family's pace
A private conversation
We listen first. You share what happened, as much as you're comfortable with, and we explain your family's rights in plain language. Free, confidential, no obligation.
We preserve the evidence
If you choose to move forward, we act quickly on the things that can't wait — footage, records, witness accounts — so nothing is lost while your family takes the time it needs.
We handle the insurers and the paperwork
Every communication, negotiation, filing, and deadline runs through us, not you. We update you in plain language, as often or as little as you prefer.
Your family decides the big decisions
Whether to settle or proceed to trial is always your family's choice, made with our honest advice — never pressure.
Why choose Oaks Law Firm?
We listen first
Before anything legal, we hear your family's story. Understanding who you lost — and what that loss means — is the foundation of how we advocate.
We carry the burden
The investigation, the insurance companies, the deadlines, the paperwork — our team handles it so your family can focus on each other.
Contingency-fee representation
You owe no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for your family. Case costs and expenses are separate from attorney's fees and are explained clearly in your written fee agreement before we begin.
Questions families often ask
Who in our family is allowed to bring the claim?
There's a criminal case against the person responsible. Can we still file?
We're not ready to think about this yet. Is it wrong to wait?
What does it cost to hire Oaks Law Firm?
When You're Ready to Talk, We're Ready to Listen.
If you've lost someone you love because of another's negligence anywhere in California, we're here to answer your questions with honesty and care. The consultation is free and private, and there is never any obligation.
Request a Free, Private Consultation Call (877) 539-5366