Choosing an Attorney for a Wrongful Death Claim
A family choosing counsel after a death needs a clear explanation of who would be represented and what work the agreement covers. California separates wrongful-death claims from claims that belonged to the person who died. A first consultation can map possible claimants, the known incident facts, any estate representative and immediate deadlines without asking a grieving family to decide legal standing alone. Use the worksheet to compare how candidates would handle family communication and possible conflicts.
Hurt Advice editorial guide. Source review: . This guide does not state that the attorney authored, reviewed or approved it. Visit the profile for public licensing and background records.
Review the attorney’s public background, then confirm experience and availability directly.
Raffi Naljian
Founder, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Attorney
Raffi Garabed Naljian is the founder of Naljian Law Offices and an active California attorney under State Bar #238919. A Los Angeles Times profile says he founded the firm in 2008 after beginning his legal career in 1997, and the State Bar lists personal injury, litigation, criminal law, and business law among his self-reported practice areas.
View Raffi Naljian's full verified profilePrimary identity record
Learn more about Raffi Naljian
This is a focused supporting page. Use Raffi Naljian's full sourced attorney profile as the primary identity record for biography, role, languages, office information, and public-record links. Review that profile alongside the issue-specific preparation and public sources below.
The State Bar record lists Raffi Garabed Naljian as an active California attorney, State Bar #238919. Hurt Advice is a separate referral and legal information service, not the attorney's law firm.
How to Evaluate Attorney Fit for This Issue
Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 identifies categories of people who may bring a wrongful-death action; sections 377.30 and 377.61 address distinct survival and damages questions. Ask a candidate to explain how these provisions relate to this family, who the client or clients would be, how other potentially eligible people are contacted and whether separate estate or probate counsel is needed. Do not infer that one family member speaks for everyone.
Consultation worksheet
Wrongful-death counsel and family-scope worksheet
Keep personal family details private. Use one page per candidate and record what they would verify before deciding who may assert each claim.
There is no submit or save action. Copy your notes before leaving this page.
Which relationships and documents need review under section 377.60? Who would be represented?
Is there a separate survival or estate issue, and who would handle or refer that work?
Who receives updates, how are differing instructions handled and when might separate advice be appropriate?
Which incident or insurer record would counsel preserve or request first, and why?
Does the agreement name the clients, claims covered, excluded work, fee and case-cost treatment?
Sources for this guide
- State Bar of California: Before selecting an attorney
Explains how consumers can check a lawyer’s standing and compare candidates before choosing representation.
- State Bar of California: Fees and billing
Supports asking about the fee arrangement, case expenses, billing and the written scope of work.
- California Courts: Deadlines to sue someone
Explains why the cause of action, defendant and exceptions matter when identifying an actual filing deadline.
- California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60
Identifies categories of people or a representative who may assert a wrongful-death action; eligibility requires case-specific review.
- California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.30
Addresses who may commence a cause of action that survives the deceased person, distinct from the survivors’ wrongful-death action.
- California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.61
Governs wrongful-death damages as just under the circumstances, subject to applicable restrictions; no amount is assumed here.
Compare Counsel Step by Step
- 1Prepare a private family and representative list for a conflict check; include uncertainties rather than deciding eligibility yourself.
- 2Identify the incident documents and any existing estate or probate papers, but share sensitive material only through a chosen secure channel.
- 3Verify each candidate’s license and ask which attorney would personally manage the matter, whom the firm would represent, how family updates work and who handles related claims.
- 4Read the agreement for named clients, scope, fee and expense treatment, and any separate probate or survival work.
Records for Comparing Candidates
- A factual family relationship map and any known personal-representative appointment, held privately for consultation
- Death certificate or available official incident record, plus known witness and insurer contacts
- Existing probate papers, proposed releases and prior communications from any claimant or insurer
- Written candidate answers identifying clients, communication contacts, possible separate counsel and expense scope
Keep your unanswered questions handy when comparing the attorney’s public profile with your needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming the first relative to call counsel is the only person with a possible claim
- Combining wrongful-death and survival claims without checking who may assert each and what losses are involved
- Signing a release before confirming which people and claims it purports to cover
- Choosing a firm without asking how it will address differing family interests or a related estate matter
How the Process Typically Works
Identify representation
Ask who could be a claimant, who would be the firm’s client and whether an estate representative or separate adviser is involved.
Check immediate work
Ask which incident records need preservation and which notice or filing dates require individual analysis.
Confirm family process
Agree on a communication contact, treatment of potential conflicts and written scope before engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one relative hire a lawyer for the whole family?
Do not assume so. Section 377.60 defines categories of possible claimants, and the lawyer should explain who the proposed clients are, how the interests of other eligible people are handled and whether separate representation is needed.
Is a survival claim the same as wrongful death?
No. A survival action concerns a cause of action that belonged to the person who died, subject to statutory rules. A wrongful-death action concerns legally eligible survivors. Ask which claims the proposed agreement covers and who would assert each.
Should I wait until probate is finished to ask about a deadline?
No. Ask about the claim, defendant and actual deadlines promptly. California Courts cautions that different claims and parties can produce different time limits.
Use the attorney’s public background as a starting point for a direct conversation about fit.
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Important Disclosures
Attorney Advertising. Hurt Advice is a lawyer-referral and legal-information service, not a law firm. This website provides general information, not legal advice. Viewing a page or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Independent participating attorneys decide whether to accept a matter, and representation begins only under a separate written agreement. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; results depend on the facts and circumstances of each matter.