Ann Arbor Wrongful Death Attorneys

Standing to file is determined by each state's wrongful death statute. Most states grant standing to the decedent's spouse, children, and parents. Some states also include domestic partners, putative spouses, financial dependents, and siblings. In several states, the personal representative of the decedent's estate files on behalf of all statutory beneficiaries. A separate survival action may be filed by the estate for the decedent's own pre-death damages. We advise on your specific state's standing requirements.

Wrongful death damages typically include: pecuniary loss (lost income and benefits over the decedent's work-life expectancy, calculated by forensic economists using present-value discounting), loss of household services, funeral and burial expenses, loss of consortium/companionship/guidance (a non-economic damage category), and hedonic damages (loss of enjoyment of life, where permitted by state law). The survival action adds the decedent's pre-death pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost earnings. Punitive damages may apply for gross negligence.

A wrongful death claim is a civil tort action seeking compensatory (and potentially punitive) damages, governed by state wrongful death statutes. The burden of proof is preponderance of the evidence (~51% likelihood). Criminal cases are prosecuted by the state under the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard (~99%). The two are entirely independent — civil liability can exist without criminal conviction, and vice versa. This is why civil damages are frequently awarded even when criminal charges are dropped, dismissed, or result in acquittal.

Varies by state: typically 1-3 years from the date of death (not the date of the negligent act). Government tort claims have shorter deadlines — often 6 months. The discovery rule may toll the limitation period when the cause of death isn't immediately apparent (e.g., toxic exposure, medical malpractice). Wrongful death of minors may have extended limitation periods. Contact us promptly to preserve your rights.

Yes. Civil wrongful death claims are independent of criminal proceedings and can be filed concurrently. Strategically, we may coordinate timing with the criminal case — criminal convictions and guilty pleas constitute collateral estoppel (issue preclusion) in many states, preventing the defendant from re-litigating fault in the civil case. Even criminal acquittals don't bar civil claims due to the different burden of proof.

Most wrongful death cases resolve in 12 to 24 months through negotiation or mediation. Cases involving multiple defendants, complex liability chains, or government entities may take longer due to administrative prerequisites, multi-party discovery, and trial scheduling. We keep families informed at every stage.