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Wrongful Death Attorney Westlake Village
Losing a loved one to preventable negligence leaves families facing overwhelming grief and sudden financial disruption. Our Westlake Village wrongful death lawyers take on the legal battle against insurance corporations, holding responsible parties accountable and securing the full compensation your family needs to move forward.
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Wrongful Death Law Firm
Dedicated to Grieving Families
If you're reading this, your family is likely living through one of the hardest things a person can face. Losing someone to another party's negligence leaves those left behind carrying grief, financial worry, and impossible questions about what comes next.
Across Westlake Village, families who set out to pursue a wrongful death claim quickly find themselves buried in legal paperwork, insurer pressure, and court deadlines all while trying to absorb an unbearable loss.
This is exactly where our wrongful death attorneys step in. We take on the full legal weight every investigation, filing, and negotiation, so your family can focus on healing and on honoring your loved one's memory. Our purpose is simple: steady, compassionate advocacy that pursues maximum compensation for your family. Reach out to Bojat Law Group and let us carry what comes next.
deaths in the U.S. came from unintentional injuries in 2024.
CDC mortality data ranks unintentional injuries as the third leading cause of death nationwide that year.
When Negligence Becomes Fatal
How Do Most Wrongful Deaths Occur?
A wrongful death claim isn't tied to one kind of accident. What matters is whether negligent, reckless, or otherwise wrongful conduct caused the death.
01
Motor Vehicle Collisions
Fatal crashes traced to negligent drivers, distraction, speeding, impaired driving, or unsafe road conduct.
02
Truck Accidents
Commercial vehicle cases can reach the driver, trucking company, maintenance contractors, cargo companies, and others.
03
Pedestrian & Bicycle Fatalities
Drivers owe a duty of care to those outside a vehicle, where even one collision can turn catastrophic.
04
Dangerous Property Conditions
Owners and businesses can be held liable when unsafe conditions lead to a preventable death.
05
Defective Products
Manufacturers and others along a product's distribution chain may answer when a dangerous defect causes a fatal injury.
06
Other Negligent Conduct
Wrongful death law reaches many situations where a legal duty was owed, breached, and that breach caused the death.
More Than a Decade of Proven Experience
Our wrongful death attorneys have spent more than 28 years securing substantial settlements and verdicts for families throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Insurance companies and defense counsel know we are prepared and relentless.
Comprehensive Investigation
We act quickly to preserve critical evidence. Our team includes investigators, accident reconstruction specialists, and expert witnesses who work to uncover the full truth about what happened.
No Upfront Fees, Ever
We work on a contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we win your case. Our firm advances all costs of litigation, so financial concerns never stand in the way of justice.
Personal Attention from Experienced Attorneys
When you call our office, you speak with an attorney — not a call center. You will work directly with experienced lawyers who keep you informed at every stage.
Who We Represent in Wrongful Death Cases
California limits who may bring a wrongful death claim. California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 gives immediate family the first right to pursue an action, while others may qualify only by proving financial dependence.
The estate's personal representative can also file. Claims may follow either negligence or a deliberate act.
Lost someone in Westlake Village or a nearby community because of another's negligence? We'll identify exactly which family members must be part of the claim and fight for what your family is owed.
What the Law Allows Families to Recover
What Compensation Is Available in a California Wrongful Death Case?
No sum can stand in for a life. A California wrongful death claim instead looks at the financial support and the close relationships a family is left without.
The state's civil jury instructions account for both kinds of loss — the economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Losses
Lost Financial Support
The income and contributions the family could have counted on receiving over time.
Lost Household Services
The everyday value of the work the person carried out for the home and family.
Lost Gifts or Benefits
Support the family had good reason to expect would continue.
Funeral and Burial Expenses
The reasonable costs of laying a loved one to rest.
Personal Losses
California jury instructions name these relational losses directly: companionship, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, moral support, and, where it applies, training and guidance.
Get Justice for Your Loved One Today
Every day after a wrongful death, evidence slips away. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, witnesses forget, and physical proof disappears. Start by gathering any medical records and police reports you can, then reach our team right away so we can move to preserve the rest before it's gone.
Call us for a free consultation. We answer every inquiry promptly: by phone, email, or online form and can often set up your confidential case evaluation the same day.
We serve Westlake Village and the surrounding communities, including Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and the rest of Ventura County. As personal injury attorneys, we stand with families through the hardest chapter of their lives.
Wrongful Death FAQs
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, the standard deadline to file a wrongful death lawsuit is two years from the date of the person’s death
Critical Exceptions:
Government Claims If a government agency or employee is involved, you must submit a formal administrative claim within six months of the date of death
Medical Malpractice Claims against healthcare providers must be filed within one year of discovering the negligence, or within three years of the injury, whichever comes first
Minor Children If the surviving heir is a minor, the two-year deadline is paused until they turn 18, giving them until their 20th birthday to file
Delayed Discovery If the cause of death or connection to wrongdoing could not be known right away, the deadline begins when the connection is discovered
Yes. You can file a wrongful death claim even if there is an active criminal case. They are entirely separate legal proceedings handle in different courts.
Key points to consider:
Civil vs Criminal: The criminal case is brought by the government to determine guilt and punish the perpetrator with jail time or fines. Your wrongful death claim is a civil lawsuit filed by the family to seek financial compensation for losses.
Lower Burden of Proof: Civil courts require a lower standard of proof (“preponderance of the evidence”—meaning it is more likely than not that the defendant is responsible) compared to criminal courts (“beyond a reasonable doubt”). This means a civil case can be won even if the defendant is acquitted in criminal court.
Impact of Criminal Charges: A criminal conviction can actually strengthen your civil lawsuit, as the conviction can be used as evidence to establish liability (negligence per se).
Possible Delays: The judge in the civil court may temporarily pause (“stay”) the civil lawsuit until the criminal trial concludes to prevent civil discovery from interfering with the criminal proceedings.
Generally, you do not pay taxes on a wrongful death settlement or lawsuit payout under both US federal law (IRS) and California state law.
All money awarded as compensatory damages—which includes compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the loss of companionship—is excluded from taxable income. The IRS does not view this money as income or profit, so it is completely tax-free.
We operate on a contingency fee basis. That means:
Zero Upfront Costs: You pay nothing out of pocket to retain our legal team.
We Cover Case Expenses: We cover all costs associated with investigating your crash, filing court documents, and hiring expert witnesses.
No Win, No Fee: You only pay legal fees if we secure a financial settlement or verdict on your behalf. Our fee is taken as an agreed-upon percentage of your final recovery.
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