Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
The loss of a loved one is a devastating experience that can affect your whole family for years to come. Knowing the death was preventable only adds to the pain. Our compassionate Long Island wrongful death lawyers understand how important family is.
Though no sum of money could ever come close to making up for the loss of a loved one, a wrongful death lawsuit can provide a sense of justice and help your family get closure. It can also relieve the financial stress brought on by the death and provide financial security for the future.
When you work with Shulman & Hill, you will have a caring team of attorneys dedicated to supporting you through this difficult time and fighting for the justice your family deserves. Call (866) 828-6991 today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your rights.
Shulman & Hill is Here For You
We are a community-centered law firm with decades of combined experience helping grieving families get justice and compensation. As New Yorkers helping New Yorkers, we treat our clients like family. You will never feel like just another case number. You will receive caring, personalized attention aimed at securing maximized results. Our dedicated attorneys care deeply about our clients and are ready to aggressively pursue compensation from those responsible for your loss.
Our Long Island personal injury lawyers have a national reputation for outstanding service and results. We have recovered over $700 million in compensation, including numerous wrongful death settlements and verdicts.
Founding partner Alex Shulman is recognized by the National Trial Lawyer’s Association as one of the nation’s Top 40 Under 40. He has been recognized as a New York Super Lawyer since 2017, an honor only given to the top five percent of attorneys in the state.
We will handle all aspects of your wrongful death lawsuit so you can focus on grieving and caring for your family. Our multilingual attorneys and staff are dedicated to ensuring every family in Long Island has access to justice. We have attorneys fluent in Spanish and Russian, as well as offices in all five boroughs of NYC and Long Island.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer?
There are no upfront costs to work with our dedicated wrongful death attorneys in Long Island. We will invest our own money upfront to pursue justice for your loved one, covering things like filing fees, investigation costs, and travel expenses. Our fees will be calculated as a pre-negotiated percentage of your case result. You pay nothing unless we win.
When You Can Seek Compensation After a Loved One’s Wrongful Death on Long Island
The loved ones of deceased individuals must prove the circumstances of their deaths meet certain criteria to justify pursuing compensation. To recover compensation after your loved one’s passing, you must show that:
- Another party’s careless, reckless, negligent, or wrongful actions caused your loved one’s death.
- Had they been injured but not died, your loved one would have had the justification to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- Eligible parties close to the deceased, such as their spouse or children, incurred losses due to their passing.
Pursuing justice and compensation after a loved one’s wrongful death can be challenging. However, your case may feel less stressful if you work with a well-established Long Island personal injury law firm. Shulman & Hill’s skilled wrongful death attorneys are well-acquainted with the intricacies of wrongful death claims. We can provide the legal support you need following the tragic loss of someone you love.
Who Can Seek Compensation in a Long Island Wrongful Death Case?
In New York, your loved one’s personal representative is the only person authorized to file the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family. The personal representative may be someone they appointed before death or someone appointed by a court. Personal representatives are often spouses or other surviving family members.
The proceeds typically go to the surviving spouse and children. If there is no spouse or child, the parents or the next closest survivors may be eligible to collect wrongful death damages.
Our knowledgeable Long Island wrongful death attorneys can determine whether you can receive wrongful death damages. We can also determine who the personal representative is or help get one appointed.
Available Damages in Wrongful Death Cases in New York
New York law allows you to recover various wrongful death damages, including:
- Funeral and burial expenses.
- Your loved one’s medical bills.
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering before death.
- The loss of your loved one’s likely lifetime earnings had they survived.
- Punitive damages if the defendant deliberately injured your loved one or blatantly disregarded their safety.
Currently, New York law does not allow surviving family members to recover damages for their own grief and anguish brought on by the loss. The Grieving Families Act aimed to change this, but Governor Hochul vetoed the legislation three times.
How Shulman & Hill Can Help with Your Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Our attorneys can manage all of the details of your case while you grieve and care for your family. We will take care of the following:
- Investigating the incident that caused the death.
- Interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence.
- Identifying all liable parties.
- Communicating with insurance companies on your behalf.
- Handling all required paperwork.
- Determining who the personal representative is or getting one appointed as needed.
- Filing your Long Island wrongful death lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires.
- Negotiating a meaningful settlement.
- Taking your case to court if the responsible parties refuse to pay fair compensation.
We will be here to answer your questions, provide legal guidance, and listen with empathy and compassion through every stage of your case.
Protect Your Legal Rights in a Long Island Wrongful Death Case
When you suffer the loss of someone you love, it is understandable to feel overwhelmed and disoriented. Take these steps to streamline the legal process and protect your legal rights following the wrongful death of a loved one:
Document Everything About the Case
A wrongful death lawsuit relies on evidence to prove the losses you and your family suffered. You can simplify the legal process by gathering any documentation of your losses, including:
- Your loved one’s medical bills before their death
- Invoices for funeral expenses and burial costs
- Pay stubs to show how much your loved one earned
- Bank statements and other financial documentation to establish household expenses
- Medical records documenting your loved one’s injuries and their effects
- The deceased person’s will or other legal documentation about the estate
If you are not sure which documents to use, don’t worry. Shulman & Hill’s attorneys are familiar with wrongful death cases on Long Island and can help you determine which evidence is necessary to support your case. Our legal team can work with you to request, compile, and organize important legal documentation.
Do Not Sign Anything Without Your Attorney
The responsible parties and their insurance companies may try to obtain a settlement or waiver absolving them of full responsibility. Before you agree to anything verbally or in writing, you may want to consult a wrongful death lawyer on Long Island. Our attorneys can review any settlement offers you receive to determine whether they offer fair compensation for your losses. If not, we can negotiate on your behalf to achieve a more desirable outcome.
Consider Contacting a Long Island Wrongful Death Lawyer
Wrongful death cases are notoriously complicated. You should not have to deal with the legal aspects of your case while undergoing such a traumatic life change. Instead of shouldering the burden on your own, reach out to a Long Island wrongful death attorney at Shulman & Hill. We can help you understand your rights and obligations and provide critical legal support during this challenging time.