Hempstead Wrongful Death Lawyer

The days after losing someone feel impossible. Grief crashes into you while bills pile up, insurance companies call, and you’re suddenly expected to understand complex legal procedures. Your family needs answers, but the system that should protect you feels cold and confusing.

That’s where we step in. At Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we handle wrongful death cases for Hempstead families who shouldn’t have to fight alone. While you focus on what matters most, grieving, healing, supporting each other, we take on the insurance companies, investigate what happened, and pursue every dollar your family deserves.

Chrissy Grigoropoulos built this firm on one principle: fierce advocacy with genuine compassion. We’re available 24/7, speak your language (whether that’s English, Spanish, Greek, French-Creole, or Korean), and never charge a fee unless we win. You’ve already lost too much, let us fight to protect what remains.

Lost a Loved One in Hempstead? We Are Here for Your Family

When someone’s negligence takes your loved one away, the pain feels unbearable. The bills keep coming, work becomes impossible, and suddenly you’re facing a legal system that seems designed to confuse you. At Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we know exactly what that looks like, because we’ve guided hundreds of Nassau County families through this devastating experience.

We’re not just lawyers; we’re your neighbors who understand the Hempstead community and fight for the people who live here. When you hire a Hempstead wrongful death lawyer from our firm, you’re getting a team that won’t back down from insurance companies or powerful defendants. Chrissy Grigoropoulos has built her reputation on taking the toughest cases and winning.

You don’t need to figure this out alone. We offer free consultations and provide services in Spanish, Greek, French-Creole, and Korean, because grief shouldn’t come with language barriers. We’re available 24/7 when you need us most.

Lost someone due to another’s negligence? Contact Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll handle the legal fight, you focus on your family.

Do You Have a Wrongful Death Case in New York?

You have a wrongful death case if someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or intentional actions caused your loved one’s death. The key is proving that another person or company failed in their duty to act safely, and that failure directly led to the fatal incident.

This isn’t about every death; it’s about preventable deaths. A drunk driver on Peninsula Boulevard, a surgeon’s critical mistake, a construction company ignoring safety rules, each of these choices can lead to a life loss. When negligence causes tragedy, it’s called wrongful death.

The law recognizes that when negligence kills someone, the surviving family deserves compensation for their losses. A skilled wrongful death attorney in Hempstead can evaluate your situation and determine if you have grounds for legal action.

What Counts as Wrongful Death in NY?

New York wrongful death law covers many tragic situations where negligence proves fatal:

• Motor vehicle accidents: Crashes caused by speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, or failure to follow traffic laws.
• Medical malpractice: Deaths from misdiagnosis, surgical mistakes, medication errors, or failure to treat conditions properly.
• Workplace incidents: Fatal accidents from unsafe conditions, equipment failures, falls, or exposure to dangerous substances.
• Premises liability: Deaths on unsafe property due to slip and falls, inadequate security, or building code violations.
• Product defects: Fatalities caused by dangerous consumer goods, defective medical devices, or faulty vehicle parts.
• Nursing home neglect: Deaths from abuse, medication errors, or failure to provide proper care.

Who Can File the Lawsuit in New York?

Only the personal representative of your loved one’s estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit in New York. This person is typically named as the executor in the deceased’s will. If no will exists, Nassau County Surrogate’s Court appoints an administrator, usually the surviving spouse or an adult child.

While the representative files the case, they don’t necessarily keep all the money. The compensation goes to surviving family members according to the will or New York’s inheritance laws. This includes spouses, children, parents, and sometimes other dependents who relied on the deceased.

What Compensation Can Your Family Recover?

New York allows families to recover money for the economic impact of losing their loved one. While no amount can replace who you’ve lost, compensation can provide financial stability during an incredibly difficult time.

The law focuses on measurable losses rather than emotional pain. Here’s what your family might recover:

Type of Damages	What It Covers
Medical expenses	Hospital bills and treatment costs from the final injury or illness
Funeral and burial costs	Reasonable expenses for services, burial, or cremation
Lost income	Wages and salary the deceased would have earned over their lifetime
Lost benefits	Health insurance, pension contributions, and other employment benefits
Loss of inheritance	Money the family would have received if the person lived longer
Loss of services	Value of household work, childcare, and home maintenance the deceased provided
Parental guidance	Care and guidance the deceased would have given to minor children

New York doesn’t currently allow families to recover money for their own grief or emotional suffering. However, a separate survival action can sometimes recover damages for the pain your loved one experienced before death.

Wrongful Death vs. Survival Action: What Is the Difference?

A survival action is a separate claim that can be filed alongside your wrongful death case. It seeks compensation for what your loved one suffered between the time of injury and death.

Here’s the key difference: wrongful death compensates your family for your losses, while a survival action compensates the estate for the deceased person’s suffering. If your loved one was conscious and in pain after the accident but before death, a survival action can recover damages for that suffering.

We evaluate every case to see if both claims apply. Filing both can significantly increase your family’s total recovery when the circumstances support it.

How We Prove Fault and Build Your Case

Winning a wrongful death case requires proving that someone else’s negligence directly caused your loved one’s death. We do this by establishing four essential legal elements that form the foundation of every successful claim.

Duty, Breach, Causation, Damages

Every wrongful death case must prove these four elements:

• Duty: The defendant had a legal obligation to act with reasonable care.
• Breach: They failed to meet that obligation through their actions or inaction.
• Causation: This failure was the direct cause of your loved one’s death.
• Damages: Your family suffered measurable losses as a result.

For example, if a truck driver was texting while driving on Hempstead Turnpike, they had a duty to drive safely, breached that duty by texting, caused a fatal crash through that breach, and your family lost income and support.

Evidence We Secure Quickly

Building a strong case means moving fast to preserve evidence before it disappears. Insurance companies and defendants often try to destroy or hide evidence that proves their fault.

Our team immediately begins gathering:

• Official reports: Police reports, incident reports, and government investigations.
• Medical documentation: Hospital records, autopsy reports, and expert medical opinions.
• Scene evidence: Photographs, measurements, and physical evidence from the accident location.
• Witness statements: Testimony from people who saw what happened.
• Technical data: Vehicle black boxes, surveillance footage, and equipment maintenance records.
• Expert analysis: Accident reconstruction, medical experts, and economic specialists.

Time is critical, evidence vanishes quickly. Call us immediately to protect your family’s rights and preserve the proof we need to win.

What Deadlines Apply to Wrongful Death Claims in NY?

You have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit in New York. This statute of limitations is strict, miss the deadline and you lose the right to compensation forever.

Two years might sound like plenty of time, but it’s not. Building a strong case takes months of investigation, and court calendars fill up quickly. The sooner you start, the better your chances of success.

Some situations have even shorter deadlines that can trap unwary families.

Claims Against Municipalities and Criminal Case Extensions

If your case involves a government entity, such as the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, or the MTA, you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the incident. Missing this deadline usually kills your case before it starts.

Criminal cases sometimes extend the statute of limitations, but don’t wait for the criminal case to finish. Civil and criminal cases are separate, and waiting could cost your family their only chance at compensation.

How Much Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Cost?

We handle all wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we win your case. We advance all costs for investigation, expert witnesses, and court filings.

This arrangement means you can afford the best legal representation without worrying about hourly fees or upfront costs. We have the same incentive you do, to win the maximum compensation possible.

Our fee comes as a percentage of what we recover for your family. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. It’s that simple.

Why Choose Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for a Hempstead Wrongful Death Case?

When everything feels overwhelming, experience makes the difference. Chrissy Grigoropoulos has spent years standing up for Nassau County families against powerful insurance companies and corporate defendants.

Here’s what sets us apart:

• Local courtroom experience: We know the Nassau County judges, court procedures, and what it takes to win in local courts.
• Proven track record: Hundreds of five-star reviews from families who trusted us during their darkest hours.
• Always accessible: We’re available 24/7 because grief doesn’t follow business hours.
• Multilingual team: We communicate in Spanish, Greek, French-Creole, and Korean so every family feels heard.
• Honest guidance: We give you realistic expectations, not false promises.
• Community commitment: We live and work in this community, your neighbors’ success is our success.

Insurance companies know we don’t settle for lowball offers. When they see Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers on a case, they know we’re prepared to take it to trial if necessary.

What Types of Fatal Cases Do We Handle in Hempstead?

Our firm handles all types of wrongful death cases throughout Nassau County. We’ve seen how negligence in our community leads to preventable tragedies, and we fight to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Fatal Car and Truck Crashes

Vehicle accidents are among the most common causes of wrongful death in Hempstead. We’ve handled fatal crashes on major roads like Hempstead Turnpike, Peninsula Boulevard, and the Southern State Parkway.

These cases often involve multiple defendants, drivers, trucking companies, vehicle manufacturers, or government entities responsible for road maintenance. We investigate every angle to identify all responsible parties and maximize your family’s recovery.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice cases require extensive expert testimony and detailed analysis of medical records, which is why working with an experienced personal injury attorney is crucial.

Medical malpractice cases require extensive expert testimony and detailed analysis of medical records. Our experience with these complex cases helps families navigate the medical and legal issues involved.

Construction and Workplace Accidents

New York’s Labor Laws provide strong protections for construction workers, but fatal accidents still happen. We represent families who’ve lost loved ones in falls from scaffolding, crane accidents, equipment failures, and other job site tragedies.

These cases often involve multiple parties, general contractors, subcontractors, property owners, and equipment manufacturers. We pursue every possible source of compensation for your family.

Dangerous Property or Products

Property owners have a duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. We pursue claims when deaths result from slip and falls, inadequate security, building code violations, or other dangerous conditions.

Product liability cases involve deaths caused by defective consumer goods, medical devices, or vehicle parts. These cases often become class actions when defective products harm multiple people.

Lost a loved one in any type of preventable accident? Contact Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for compassionate legal guidance and fierce advocacy.

What To Do Now to Protect Your Family’s Rights

While you’re grieving, taking immediate action protects your family’s legal rights. We can guide you through every step, but certain things need to happen quickly to preserve your case.

Step 1: Appoint a Personal Representative in Nassau Surrogate’s Court

Before anyone can file a wrongful death lawsuit, the court must appoint someone to represent your loved one’s estate. This person has the legal authority to make decisions about the case and sign documents.

If your loved one had a will naming an executor, that person usually becomes the personal representative. Without a will, the court appoints an administrator—typically the surviving spouse or an adult child.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence and Key Documents

Gather and safely store all documents related to your loved one and the incident:

• Death certificate and autopsy report
• Medical records from the final injury or illness
• Police or incident reports
• Photos or videos of the accident scene
• Your loved one’s will and insurance policies
• Employment records showing income and benefits

Don’t assume someone else is preserving evidence. Insurance companies and defendants often destroy evidence that could help your case.

Step 3: Do Not Talk to Insurance Companies Before Getting Legal Help

Insurance adjusters will contact you quickly after a death, often while you’re still planning the funeral. They may seem sympathetic, but their job is to minimize what they pay your family.

Don’t give recorded statements or sign any documents without talking to a wrongful death attorney first. What you say can be used against your family later, even if you’re just trying to be helpful.

Wrongful Death FAQs

How Much Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Cost in New York?

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no legal fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your family.

How Long Do Wrongful Death Cases Usually Take?

Most cases settle within 12 to 24 months, but complex cases requiring extensive investigation or trial can take longer to resolve.

What If There Is No Will? Who Becomes the Personal Representative?

Nassau County Surrogate’s Court will appoint an administrator, typically the surviving spouse, adult child, or another close relative.

Can We Sue a Hospital, Nursing Home, or Municipality?

Yes, but claims against government entities and certain medical facilities have special procedural requirements and much shorter deadlines.

Do We Need To Serve a Notice of Claim Within 90 Days?

You must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days only if your lawsuit targets a city, county, or other government agency.

Can We Recover if Our Loved One Was Partly at Fault?

New York’s comparative fault rule allows recovery even when your loved one shared some blame, but the compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault.

How Are Wrongful Death Proceeds Distributed to Family Members?

Distribution follows New York’s intestacy laws or the deceased’s will, with funds for minor children placed in court-supervised accounts until they reach adulthood.

Are Wrongful Death Settlements Taxed?

Compensation for economic losses is generally not taxable, but punitive damages and accrued interest may be subject to taxes.

Does a Pending Criminal Case Affect Our Civil Wrongful Death Case?

Civil and criminal cases proceed independently, but a criminal conviction can provide powerful evidence to support your wrongful death claim.

Contact a Hempstead Wrongful Death Lawyer for a Free Consultation

You shouldn’t face this tragedy alone. The legal team at Grigor Law understands the pain of losing someone to preventable negligence, and we’re here to fight for the justice your family deserves.

We’re available 24/7 for free consultations, and we never charge fees unless we win your case. Our multilingual team ensures every family can share their story in the language they’re most comfortable with.

Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of your grief. Call Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers now.  Let us handle the legal battle while you focus on healing. Your family deserves justice, and we’re here to fight for it.