Costa Mesa Wrongful Death Lawyer
Skilled Wrongful Death Attorney in Costa Mesa, CA
The unexpected death of a family member is tragic, and it can also cause significant financial strain on your family. If the victim’s death was the result of negligence or misconduct, then you are likely to wonder whether you have grounds for legal action against the party responsible. An experienced Costa Mesa wrongful death lawyer is a crucial resource in this difficult situation, and the right attorney can provide invaluable assistance in building a wrongful death claim.
Compassionate Wrongful Death Counsel in Costa Mesa, CA
The attorneys at Bentley & More LLP have years of experience representing clients in Costa Mesa and throughout Orange County in many types of personal injury cases, including wrongful death claims. A wrongful death claim effectively replaces the personal injury case a victim could have filed if they had survived, but this type of claim seeks compensation for their surviving family’s losses.
Our team can help you prove liability for your family member’s wrongful death, resolve any liability disputes you encounter, and accurately calculate all of the damages you are eligible to claim. We can also help you determine whether you have grounds to file a survival action against the defendant, which could enable your family to recover damages incurred by the victim’s estate between their fatal accident and their death.
Building a Wrongful Death Claim in Costa Mesa
A wrongful death claim is a type of personal injury case and shares many of the same procedural requirements, but while a personal injury case seeks compensation for the victim’s losses, a wrongful death claim aims to compensate the victim’s family. The plaintiff needs to identify the party responsible for causing the victim’s fatal injury and then prove that the defendant is directly responsible for causing the victim’s death.
Some of the most commonly reported causes of wrongful deaths in Costa Mesa include:
- Motor vehicle crashes. Whether the accident happened on I-405 or a smaller local street, the at-fault driver is liable for the fatal injury they caused. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported 685 victims injured or killed in vehicle crashes in Costa Mesa in 2023. Some of the most common causes of fatal crashes in Orange County include speeding, intoxicated driving, distracted driving, and moving violations.
- Premises liability. Property owners in California have a legal duty to address foreseeable safety hazards on their property as soon as they become aware of them. If a lawful visitor suffers a fatal injury in a slip-and-fall or other accident, the property owner may be held liable for the wrongful death under California’s premises liability laws.
- Workplace accidents. The California Department of Industrial Relations reported 419 workplace fatalities statewide in 2024. When a family member dies on the job, you and your family could qualify to receive death benefits from their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. However, if their death was the result of a specific party’s negligence, then you may have grounds to file a wrongful death claim.
Regardless of the exact nature of the fatal accident in question, if a specific party is responsible for causing it, this likely forms grounds for you to pursue a wrongful death claim. Most wrongful death cases filed in Orange County arise from negligence, but some are the result of intentional and illegal misconduct. Your attorney can explain how the nature of the defendant’s actions could influence the outcome of your case.
Proving liability in a wrongful death case is likely to require various types of evidence that you may not know how to obtain on your own, so it is crucial for you to hire legal counsel you can trust at your first opportunity to help you build your case.
Claiming Compensation for a Wrongful Death in Costa Mesa
In California, a wrongful death claim is usually filed by the closest surviving family members of the victim, such as their spouse, adult children, or the personal representative of their estate. After your Costa Mesa wrongful death attorney helps you establish fault for the victim’s fatal injury, they can then calculate the full extent of the damages available in a wrongful death case that you and your family may be eligible to claim.
Economic damages in a wrongful death case can include funeral and burial expenses and the lost financial support the victim can no longer provide to their family. Non-economic damages can include the family’s mental anguish and loss of companionship as well as the surviving spouse’s loss of consortium.
If the victim did not immediately die from the defendant’s negligence, then the family may also have grounds to file a survival action. This claim seeks compensation for the damages the victim suffered between the accident and their death, such as their final medical expenses, property damage, and income they were unable to earn during this time.
In some wrongful death cases, defendants are also required to pay punitive damages. The court may order punitive damages in response to a defendant’s egregious negligence or illegal misconduct, and the amount paid generally depends on the defendant’s financial status and the severity of their actions. Your Costa Mesa wrongful death lawyer can estimate the total potential value of your case and help you resolve it as efficiently as possible.
Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Costa Mesa Today
The team at Bentley & More LLP can provide compassionate legal guidance when you and your family need it most. We have successfully resolved many wrongful death cases for clients in Costa Mesa and throughout Orange County, so we are confident we possess the skills, resources, and experience that your wrongful death case requires.
You can rely on our firm to build a strong case and negotiate a settlement with the defendant, if possible, but we are fully prepared to represent you in litigation, if necessary, in a disputed case. Our goal is to help your family secure as much compensation as possible for this tragic loss, so adjusting to your new circumstances is a bit easier.
You have a short time in which to build and file a wrongful death claim in California. The sooner you reach out to experienced legal counsel, the better your chances are of reaching a favorable outcome. The team at Bentley & More LLP is ready to help, so contact us today and schedule a free consultation with an experienced Costa Mesa wrongful death lawyer.
Costa Mesa, CA Wrongful Death Resources
About Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa is home to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a celebrated performing-arts campus drawing audiences from across Southern California. However, wrongful death claims tied to fatal vehicle crashes remain a serious concern, with the city recording 685 traffic injury and fatality victims in a single recent year. In response, the City secured $7.9 million in OCTA grants to build safer, protected bike lanes across several corridors. Even so, Costa Mesa remains a vibrant, community-focused city for residents and visitors.
Client Testimonials
“I can’t thank Bentley & More enough, especially Steve. After my dad’s passing in a car accident, they secured a settlement we are so grateful for. From the start, they made sure we were taken care of, handling everything so we didn’t have to worry. Steve went above and beyond, always there when we needed support, and it was such a relief knowing we were in good hands. If you’re looking for a firm that truly cares, Bentley & More is the one. Highly recommend them!” – Kevin Jimenez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bentley & More LLP Office
Address: 4931 Birch Street Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: (949) 870-3800
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