Seeking Justice in Wrongful Death
Cases That Involve Criminal Conduct
In California, there are three primary sources of wrongful death compensation for cases involving criminal conduct:
- Court-ordered restitution
- The California Crime Victims' Compensation Fund
- Civil lawsuits (resolved through settlement or by trial, and including both statutory and punitive damages where applicable)
Because of the limits on what types of damages can be included in restitution, and because criminals often do not have significant financial assets, it is rarely sufficient. The state's crime victim fund, provided you qualify, may provide compensation for funeral and burial expenses, medical bills, counseling fees, rehabilitation fees, prescription costs, lost wages and other out-of-pocket costs associated with your loss. What it will not do is provide compensation for future financial losses or the more personal effects of losing a spouse, parent or child. This leaves filing a civil lawsuit for wrongful death as the only option for recovering full compensation.
Holding Wrongdoers Accountable
While Preserving Your Civil Claims
In general, wrongful death cases associated with criminal conduct are very complicated and in our opinion, should only be handled by experienced attorneys. For instance, if a case involving a victim of drunk driving is not carefully managed by the plaintiff's counsel, the negligent driver's auto insurance company may not be obligated to provide insurance coverage.
Attorneys at the Law Offices of Sanford M. Cipinko have provided effective legal representation on behalf of the families of California crime victims for more than 30 years. In clearest terms, we know the law and we know how to achieve the results our clients deserve.
Handling All Cases on a Contingency Basis
In cases of wrongful death, including those that involve drunk driving or other types of criminal conduct, you will only be asked to pay attorney fees if we obtain a verdict or settlement on your behalf.
Offering Free Consultations
To schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer, call our San Francisco, California, law offices directly at 866-504-9164 (toll-free) or send us an e-mail.
