Wrongful Death Lawyer
There is no version of this that a claim fixes. What it can do is remove the financial pressure and establish, on the record, what happened and who was responsible.
- 45+ years combined
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- 24/7 a person answers
- $0to start, and nothing out of pocket
- $0in fees unless we recover for you
- $0for the case review, with no obligation
What you are up against
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Insurers move quickly toward families
Sometimes within days, with paperwork and an offer, at the point when nobody has the capacity to evaluate either.
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Nevada is specific about who may bring a claim
Under NRS 41.085, the personal representative of the estate and certain heirs. Getting that wrong costs time a deadline may not allow.
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Two claims exist, not one
A wrongful death claim for the heirs and a survival claim for the estate. They compensate different losses and are frequently confused.
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Nobody explains the process
Probate, the estate, the insurers and the litigation all run at once, and families are usually left to work out the sequence themselves.
None of that has to be your problem to solve. Once we are involved, the adjusters go through us.
What to do after a death caused by someone else
None of this is urgent in the way it sounds. It is here because some of it stops being possible after a few weeks, and nobody tells you that at the time.
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Take the time you need first
Nothing below is more urgent than your family. The deadlines are real, but they are measured in months, not days.
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Do not agree to a recorded statement
An insurer may make contact within days. You are not required to speak to them, and nothing you say early can help you.
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Keep everything
Medical records, the police report, the coroner’s findings, phone records, employment records. Documents get harder to obtain as time passes, not easier.
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Ask about an autopsy before decisions are made
Where the cause is contested, an autopsy can be the difference between a provable claim and an argument. Once that window closes it does not reopen.
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Find out who has standing to bring the claim
NRS 41.085 sets this out: the personal representative of the estate and the heirs recover different things, and the two claims run together.
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Do not let the estate be closed early
A survival claim belongs to the estate. Closing probate before the claim is understood can complicate what would otherwise be straightforward.
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Watch the shorter deadlines
Two years is the general rule, but a claim against a government entity runs much shorter and requires notice first.
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Call when you are ready
There is no fee to talk, and no obligation. If there is nothing to pursue, we will say so.
Wrongful death cases we handle
Fatal motor vehicle collisions
Including drunk and wrong-way driving, where a claim against a bar or venue is sometimes possible.
Commercial vehicle and truck crashes
Federal regulations, multiple liable parties and substantial coverage.
Pedestrian fatalities
Where camera footage and signal data frequently decide liability.
Premises and negligent security
Deaths on hotel, casino or apartment property where a foreseeable risk went unaddressed.
Workplace and construction deaths
Where a third party outside the employer may bear responsibility.
Catastrophic injury leading to death
Where a survival claim for the period before death runs alongside the wrongful death claim.
What a claim can cover
- Funeral and burial costs
- The financial support the person would have provided
- Loss of companionship, comfort and guidance, which Nevada recognizes for surviving family
- Through a survival claim, the medical costs and suffering the person experienced before death
What decides the value
Nevada’s modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141 applies here too: a share of fault attributed to the person who died reduces recovery proportionally, and at 51 percent it bars it.
Recovery usually comes from a liability policy, and sometimes from more than one where an employer or a property is also responsible. Where a public body is involved, NRS 41.035 caps a claim against a political subdivision at $200,000 regardless of the loss.
No two claims carry the same value. What any particular case is worth depends on the injuries, the evidence and the coverage in place.
Facing the insurer alone, or with us
On your own
- Contact comes early, while you are in no state to weigh it.
- Deadlines run whether or not anyone has explained them.
- The scene and the vehicle are released, repaired or scrapped on someone else’s schedule.
- A number is offered before the loss has been counted.
With Get The Win
- We deal with the insurer so your family does not have to.
- Standing and deadlines are settled before anything is filed.
- The scene, the vehicle and the records are preserved.
- The full loss is established by evidence, never assumed.
No fee unless we recover for you. Take the time you need — the first step is a conversation, not a commitment.
Settlements we have recovered
These are actual settlements obtained by this firm. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case turns on its own facts, and the value of any claim depends on the injuries, the available insurance coverage and the evidence. Amounts shown are gross recoveries before fees and case costs.
The Get The Win Standard
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01
Standing is established
Nevada sets out who may bring the claim and who recovers under it. Sorting that first avoids a claim being brought by the wrong person.
First weeks -
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The scene and the vehicle are held
Whatever caused the death is evidence, and it is released, repaired or scrapped on somebody else's schedule unless a hold is placed on it.
First week -
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The autopsy and records are gathered
Cause of death, treatment before it and any earlier warning signs. These arrive slowly, so they are requested early.
Investigation -
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Losses are costed properly
Financial support, services and the loss to the family are established by evidence rather than asserted. Funeral costs are the smallest part of it.
On completion
What clients say
Zach and Reyna were awesome. Answer all my questions in a timely manor. They made me feel like I was their only client.
Zack was very professional and helpful. You can tell he cared about his clients. He did everything he said he was going to do, and I appreciate Wooldridge Law helping me in a rough time in my life.
Being involved in a car accident is a very traumatic experience. Luckily I had the best attorney that was attentive. Nicholas and Zachary helped guide me through the process, they explain things very thorough which made everything super easy. I definitely recommend them and have recommended many friends and family to their office.
I was hurt in a bad car accident and I needed help dealing with the insurance company. I was referred to Zachary by a friend and all I have to say is, wow! Zack treated me like family and really took care of me. I was able to get my car fixed and all my medical expenses covered.
Testimonials describe individual experiences and are published with client permission. They are not a guarantee, warranty or prediction of the outcome of any other matter.
What governs wrongful death claims in Nevada
- Who may file
- Heirs and the personal representative, NRS 41.085
- Survival claim
- Runs alongside, brought by the estate
- Filing deadline
- Two years, measured from the date of death
- Punitive damages
- Available in defined circumstances, NRS 42.005
General information about Nevada law, current as of publication. Deadlines and exceptions turn on the facts of a specific matter.
Straight answers
Who is allowed to file a wrongful death claim in Nevada?
Under NRS 41.085, the personal representative of the estate, and separately certain heirs including a surviving spouse, domestic partner and children. Both may have distinct claims arising from the same death.
What is the difference between wrongful death and a survival claim?
A wrongful death claim compensates the heirs for their own losses, including support and companionship. A survival claim belongs to the estate and covers what the person suffered before death, including medical costs.
How long do we have?
Generally two years from the date of death in Nevada. Claims against a government entity carry much shorter notice requirements.
Do we have to go to court?
Most cases resolve without a trial. We prepare every file as though it will be tried, because that preparation is what moves the number.
What does it cost?
Nothing up front. No attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for the family.
General information about Nevada law, current as of publication. Deadlines and exceptions turn on the facts of a specific matter, and nothing here is legal advice for your situation.
Where we work
Families come to us from every part of the valley, often while records are still arriving. We work these matters in Clark County and meet families at home rather than asking them to come in.
The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner performs the autopsy after most sudden deaths, and families can request the report. Where the estate needs a personal representative to bring its part of the claim, that appointment goes through the probate court. We start that petition early so neither part of the claim waits on the other.
Tell us what happened
Three quick questions and a phone number. About a minute, no cost, and no obligation to hire us.
Answered by a person, 24 hours a day. English or Spanish.
319 S 3rd St, Suite 200Las Vegas, NV 89101