San Mateo Wrongful Death Lawyer

The loss of a loved one is devastating, especially when it was caused by someone else's negligence. In the days and weeks that follow, families are often left trying to navigate grief, financial uncertainty, unanswered questions, and the practical responsibilities that come with a sudden loss. While no legal claim can undo what has happened, a wrongful death action can provide accountability and help secure the financial support a family may need moving forward.

At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, our San Mateo wrongful death attorneys have represented surviving family members throughout San Mateo County for decades. We understand the challenges families face after a fatal accident and work to handle the legal burden while they focus on their loved ones and their future. Our firm has represented families in complex wrongful death cases. We understand what it takes to investigate these claims on behalf of surviving family members. If your family has lost someone due to another party's negligence, the time to speak with a wrongful death attorney is now. Contact us today for the legal representation you deserve.

Get Help With Your Case

What Makes a Death Legally Actionable in California

A wrongful death claim arises when a person dies as a direct result of another party's negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct. California law, specifically Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, gives surviving family members the right to pursue compensation for the losses they have suffered as a result of that death. The legal standard does not require a criminal conviction. A party can be found civilly liable for a wrongful death even when no criminal charges were filed or when a criminal case did not result in conviction.

California law also allows the estate to bring a survival action alongside the wrongful death claim, under CCP §§ 377.30–377.34. A survival action recovers damages the deceased experienced between the time of injury and death, including pre-death pain and suffering and medical expenses, rather than the losses suffered by surviving family members. Our San Mateo wrongful death lawyers evaluate both claims in every case and pursue both simultaneously when applicable.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in San Mateo

Under California law, the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit belongs to a defined class of surviving family members. Eligibility is a common question, and it matters. Filing by an ineligible party can create procedural complications that affect the entire case. The parties entitled to bring a wrongful death claim include:

• The surviving spouse or domestic partner
• Surviving children, including legally adopted children
• Surviving parents, when no spouse or children survive
• Any minor who depended on the deceased for at least 50% of their financial support
• A putative spouse who had a good-faith belief in the validity of the marriage
• The personal representative of the decedent's estate, for survival action purposes

Determining who may bring a wrongful death claim is not always simple. Blended families, unmarried partners, and financially dependent relatives can create questions about eligibility. A wrongful death attorney can assess your family's circumstances and help ensure the claim is structured appropriately under California law. 

Schedule A Free Case Consultation

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in San Mateo

Wrongful death claims can arise from many different types of accidents and acts of negligence. While every case involves the loss of a loved one, the evidence, liability issues, and legal strategies often vary depending on how the death occurred. Our San Mateo wrongful death attorneys represent families in cases involving:

Fatal Car Accidents

Fatal car crashes often involve disputed liability, uninsured drivers, or multiple sources of insurance coverage. We represent families seeking accountability after deadly motor vehicle collisions throughout San Mateo County.

Fatal Truck Accidents

Commercial truck accidents frequently involve trucking companies, corporate insurers, maintenance providers, and other parties beyond the driver. These cases require a detailed investigation into federal regulations, driver conduct, and company practices.

Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists face a heightened risk of catastrophic injury and death when drivers fail to share the road safely. We help families pursue wrongful death claims arising from preventable motorcycle collisions.

Fatal Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian fatalities often occur in crosswalks, intersections, and other areas where drivers fail to yield the right of way. These claims require careful investigation into traffic conditions, driver conduct, and roadway factors.

Workplace and Construction Accidents

A fatal workplace accident may involve claims beyond workers' compensation, including claims against contractors, equipment manufacturers, and other third parties. Identifying all responsible parties is often critical to the case.

Dangerous Property Conditions

Property owners have a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises. When negligent maintenance, inadequate security, or hazardous conditions contribute to a fatal injury, surviving family members may have grounds for a wrongful death claim.

Defective and Dangerous Products

Manufacturers and distributors may be held accountable when a defective product causes a fatal injury. These claims often involve allegations of design defects, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings.

Drunk Driving and Other Serious Negligence Cases

When a fatal accident results from impaired driving or other reckless conduct, surviving family members may have the right to pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim in addition to any criminal proceedings.

What Wrongful Death Damages Cover in California

California wrongful death damages compensate surviving family members for the losses they have suffered, not the losses the deceased suffered. Those are recovered through the survival action. The two claims are distinct, and our wrongful death lawyers evaluate both before any demand is made.

Wrongful death damages for surviving family members typically include:

1. Loss of the deceased's future income and financial contributions to the household
2. Loss of benefits the deceased provided, including health insurance, pension, and retirement support
3. Funeral and burial expenses
4. Medical bills incurred from the final injury or illness
5. Loss of household services and contributions the deceased provided
6. Loss of love, companionship, and affection
7. Loss of guidance, mentorship, and parental care, particularly for surviving children
8. Loss of consortium for surviving spouses and partners

A survival action, which is brought by the decedent's estate, allows recovery for losses suffered before death, including pre-death pain and suffering, lost earnings between the injury and death, and related medical expenses. Together, a survival action and a wrongful death claim can present a more complete picture of the losses caused by a fatal accident. Our San Mateo wrongful death attorneys work with medical experts, economists, and other specialists when necessary to evaluate those damages and develop a claim supported by the evidence. 

Connect With Our Attorneys

Filing Deadlines for San Mateo Wrongful Death Claims

California gives surviving family members two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Missing that deadline eliminates the right to recover compensation. Claims involving government entities, such as a public agency, a municipality, or a government-operated vehicle, carry shorter requirements, with a government tort claim typically required within six months of the incident. If any government entity may have contributed to the death, our wrongful death attorneys need to evaluate the case before that window closes.

How We Build San Mateo Wrongful Death Cases

The strength of a wrongful death claim depends almost entirely on the quality and completeness of the evidentiary record. Evidence deteriorates. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Electronic data gets purged under standard retention schedules. Witnesses become harder to locate. The investigation has to begin immediately.

As your San Mateo wrongful death lawyers, our process includes:

• Immediate preservation demands for electronic data, camera footage, and vehicle records
• Detailed review of police reports, incident documentation, and autopsy findings
• Witness identification and recorded statements taken before recollections fade
• Engagement of accident reconstructionists, medical experts, and forensic specialists
• Medical record analysis to document the full injury-to-death timeline
• Forensic economic analysis to project lifetime earnings loss and future financial impact
• Identification of all responsible parties and all available insurance coverage
• Demand package development and insurer negotiation
• Trial preparation from the start, not as a last resort

Most wrongful death cases resolve through negotiated settlement. The ones that settle at full value do so because the opposing counsel knows the case is trial-ready. Our wrongful death lawyers at Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos prepare every wrongful death case as if it will go before a jury, because that posture is what creates genuine leverage in negotiations.

Why San Mateo Families Choose GFF&F for Wrongful Death Claims

Wrongful death cases demand more than legal knowledge. They require a law firm capable of uncovering the facts, preserving evidence, working with experts, and presenting a clear account of how a preventable death has affected a family. The quality of that work can have a significant impact on the outcome of the claim.

At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we have spent more than 75 years representing families in high-stakes personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Our attorneys have the experience, resources, and trial background necessary to handle complex cases involving disputed liability, catastrophic losses, and substantial damages. We prepare each case thoroughly, whether it is ultimately resolved through settlement negotiations or presented to a jury.

Most importantly, we understand that families come to us during one of the most difficult periods of their lives. Our role is to handle the legal burdens, protect their interests, and pursue accountability while they focus on their family and the future.

When you are ready to seek answers, accountability, and guidance about what comes next, contact Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos to speak with a San Mateo wrongful death attorney. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs and no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for your family.

Speak With A Wrongful Death Lawyer

San Mateo Wrongful Death Lawyer FAQ

Speak With a San Mateo Wrongful Death Attorney at GFF&F

The most important issues in a wrongful death case are often addressed long before settlement discussions begin. Determining what happened, identifying who may be legally responsible, preserving critical evidence, and understanding the full impact of the loss can all affect the outcome of a claim. Early investigation helps ensure those questions are answered while the evidence is still available and before important opportunities are lost.

Wrongful death claims are among the most complex cases in California personal injury law. Speaking with a San Mateo wrongful death lawyer early in the process can help protect your family's rights and ensure the claim is built on a strong foundation from the outset.

At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, our attorneys have spent decades representing families in high-stakes wrongful death litigation throughout San Mateo County. We understand that families facing a wrongful death claim are often navigating grief, uncertainty, and significant financial concerns all at once. Our role is to guide your family through the legal process while providing clear answers and experienced representation every step of the way. Contact us today to speak directly with a San Mateo wrongful death attorney about your family's circumstances, your legal options, and the steps that can be taken to protect your claim.

Schedule Your Free Case Review