Cocoa Wrongful Death Lawyer

Often when a family member or loved one dies due to an accident or someone’s careless disregard for life, the most common feelings tend to be extreme grief, fear or uncertainty about the future, and anger. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit is not much of a priority. When it does come up there is lots of uncertainty surrounding the idea.

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There are questions about who can file and on what grounds. Family members question if it is possible to quantify a life lost while others are offended by the very idea. When you need guidance on tasks this complex, you should consult a Cocoa wrongful death lawyer.

What Is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil suit that seeks to compensate for the loss of life caused by negligence or reckless disregard for human life. Receiving compensation will require proving that the life was lost as a direct result of the actions of the negligent party. Getting compensation does not require proving that the negligent party intended to cause your family member’s death.

The at-fault party can be held liable for compensation even if they did not mean to hurt anyone. We only need to prove that they knew that injury or death could occur and they carried on with their actions anyways.

The Time Limit on Filing a Wrongful Death Suit

The state of Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for wrongful death claims. You have two years from the date of your loved one’s death to file, failure to do so means that you give up your right to receive compensation for the loss of your family member. 

The Most Common Causes of Wrongful Death Suits

Car accidents are the most often associated with wrongful death claims, it is no surprise that they are the most common cause of death that result in a wrongful death claim. Here are some other causes of death that can result in a wrongful death claim:

Wrongful Death Prosecution

When another party’s negligence caused your family member’s death it is not the same thing as intentionally killing them. Whether they tried and intended to kill your family member is for the criminal court to decide. Our job is to hold the negligent party responsible through civil litigation.

The purpose of your claim is to seek monetary compensation for the damages you have suffered. This case will remain independent of any criminal charges the negligent party might be charged with.

Who Is Allowed to File a Wrongful Death Suit in Florida

To keep everyone from trying to file their own wrongful death suit, the state only allows a wrongful death suit to be filed by the personal representative of the deceased. If there is a personal representative their name will be in the last will and testament which will be read aloud in probate court. If no one is named or there is no will the decision will be made by the court, the court will also decide who is able to receive the compensation from the claim.

Although the wrongful death suit can only be filed by the personal representative, any family members who expect to receive any part of the compensation from the claim must have their name listed on the lawsuit. These are some of the survivors who might be eligible to receive compensation.

  • Parents of deceased
  • Children of the deceased
  • Surviving spouse
  • The estate of the deceased
  • Any survivor who can prove that they were dependent on the deceased

Quantifying the Value of Life

There is no way to put a value on the loss of life. No amount of compensation can replace them, bring them back, or amend the loss you have suffered. The courts in Florida have ruled favorably on the following types of compensation in the past.

  • Loss of companionship -This is generally the companionship of a spouse or significant other but it can include the loss of parental companionship.
  • Loss of instruction and guidance – This is often awarded for the loss of a parent.
  • Loss of support and services -This can be awarded for the loss of a parent or caretaker.
  • Mental anguish
  • Lost income and benefits -This would be awarded when children have lost a parent or caretaker.
  • Funeral costs and burial expenses -This can be awarded to any survivors.
  • Medical support services before death – This can include ambulance bills, medical care bills, life support costs, etc.

A Wrongful Death Lawyer in Cocoa Works on Your Behalf

The loss of a family member or loved one is a difficult time. There will be plans to make and family members to console. It is not the time to be investigating and collecting evidence. 

When you hire Andrew Pickett as your Cocoa wrongful death attorney, you will receive the support you need in such a difficult situation. Once we have discussed the terms of the contingency agreement our team can get right to work proving your compensation claim. We allow you time to grieve while we are hard at work on your claim.

You Know Exactly Where Your Claim Stands

While we are working to progress your claim, we make sure that you know about all developments. We can provide regular updates so that you know exactly how things are going. When you know how things are progressing and that we are on the same page, you can feel confident taking time to be with your family. 

A Wrongful Death Attorney Will Seek Compensation on Your Behalf

Take time to heal with your family with confidence that your case is being handled with the utmost care. Contact us today for your free wrongful death case consultation and get the legal guidance that you have been looking for. 

See why clients across Florida choose Andrew Pickett Law.

Our latest reviews on Google

Queen Jones avatar

Queen Jones

10 days ago

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I highly recommend Andrew Pickett and his entire team! When I first started my case, I was frustrated and didn’t fully understand the legal process, and I initially gave them a one-star review. But Andrew and his team never gave up on me. They continued to stand by my side, worked extremely hard on my behalf, and stayed committed to getting my case resolved. What really stood out to me was their dedication and willingness to keep fighting for the best possible outcome. They handled my case professionally and worked hard to get it settled. I’m extremely grateful to Andrew Pickett and his entire team for everything they did for me. If you’re looking for a legal team that will stand beside you, work hard for you, and see your case through, I definitely recommend giving them a call. Thank you, Andrew Pickett and team, for all your hard work and dedication!

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Kev Albaugh

19 days ago

After being in a serious car accident, I hired Andrew Pickett and his team in Melbourne to handle my case. From day one, Mr. Pickett treated me with genuine respect, compassion, and professionalism. He took the stress completely off my shoulders so I could focus on recovering. I would also like to recognize Lindsay, Jeremy, Vonda, and Caroline for always keeping me updated throughout the entire process and addressing any questions or concerns I may have had. Thanks to Andrews incredible expertise and relentless advocacy, he secured a phenomenal outcome that exceeded all of my expectations. If you are looking for an honest, hardworking personal injury attorney on the Space Coast who delivers real results, look no further than Andrew Pickett Law. They are the best in the business.

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Robbi Sandkulla

21 days ago

When my fiancé was in a serious car accident, we were completely overwhelmed, but Andrew Pickett and his team were an absolute blessing. They stepped in immediately, handled every detail with the insurance companies, and kept us updated every step of the way. Seeing how much stress they lifted off his shoulders was a huge relief. Andrew fought hard and won an amazing outcome for his case. We are so incredibly grateful for this firm's dedication and highly recommend them!

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Teresa Wyatt

1 month ago

The Team at Andrew Pickett has been great, so far. Extremely quick, and thorough. Wasted no time, in getting my case started.

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Alondra “Alo” Ruiz

1 month ago

Very friendly and helpful. Love that they give back to the community.

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Angela Oravits

1 month ago

We truley appreciate the kindness and helping us and many with a back pack. It was great to meet Andrew and Thank him for his kindness.

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Jae is bae

1 month ago

That was so sweet of them, giving out free backpacks and supplies for the kids and making it easier for the parents to come up and just grab the backpacks and go to get home to their children. Love this event for people. I hope to see them next year as well.

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K SN

1 month ago

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Phindile at Andrew Pickett Law. From the moment she answered the phone, she was kind, compassionate, and truly listened to everything I had to say. After spending almost 16 months with another law firm where I felt completely ghosted and struggled with a lack of communication, I was feeling frustrated and unheard. Phindile spent nearly an hour on the phone with me, patiently listening to my concerns, answering my questions, and walking me through the process. She made me feel like my case actually mattered. In that one phone call, I received more communication, care, and reassurance than I had during my entire 16 months with my previous firm. Her professionalism, empathy, and willingness to help made such a stressful situation feel so much easier. If the rest of the team is anything like Phindile, I know I’m in good hands. Thank you for treating me with kindness and making me feel heard. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done.

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marianne mattern

2 months ago

Andrew was a very nice person. Unfortunately they did not have shade for the people in the pre register line. Which left people with disabilities and non disabled left in the sun. They did provide little bottles of sunscreen and promo hand fans. Water was provided. Thank you for the kindness.

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Rachael Brown

2 months ago

Thanks for your gracious contribution to our community

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Jeremiah's Ice of West Melbourne

2 months ago

It was an absolute pleasure to join you this year in project backpack! What a great give-back for our local youth, it was an incredibly smooth event. Great team work!!

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Nicole Popun

2 months ago

Thank you for giving back to the community. God bless your family.

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Andrew Arnabat

2 months ago

My wife and I got hit with a car accident and the insurance chaos that followed. Tiffany Whitehouse and the Andrew Pickett Law team stepped up. Tiffany was always on the ball and went the extra mile. Vonda, Lindsey, Lauren, and Caroline really cared. They handled everything so we didn’t have to, moved fast, and got us the max they could. No stress. Just results

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Joshua Sund

2 months ago

My daughter really enjoyed her backpack everything was very well organized

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Audra Forbes

2 months ago

Amazing turnout! Everyone was so helpful, handing out waterbottlesand fans to stave off the scorching heat. I'm glad I stopped by.

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Latisha Watkins

2 months ago

It was a pleasure to volunteer with Andrew Pickett Law Firm and his incredible team. I can’t say enough about how amazing his team communicated with me. A wonderful community event. The families that his firm helped at this year’s Back-to-School event was such a rewarding experience. The team was well-organized, welcoming, and made it so easy for me as a volunteer to step right in and make a meaningful impact. Watching the kids get excited about their new backpacks filled with supplies and seeing parents feel supported as the school year begins was the best part of the day. It’s amazing what can happen when a community comes together with a shared goal. I’m so grateful to have been a part of it and definitely look forward to helping out again in the future.

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Rahmeik Venable

2 months ago

Wow, any person willing to hold an event to give back is an A1 person to me, the staff was absolutely amazing in organizing, and maintaining a great atmosphere for us all. I'll be looking forward to attending another community event.

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Jennifer Cleveland

2 months ago

Lauren and her team are the best! Thank you for all the help, I 10/10 recommended them!

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Megan Summers

2 months ago

It was a pleasure meeting Mr. Pickett and everyone at the law firm. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with kindness, professionalism, and genuine hospitality. Mr. Pickett took the time to personally greet me, listen attentively, and make me feel valued. What impressed me most was his commitment to giving back to the community, especially through initiatives that support local youth, such as the annual back-to-school backpack drive. It’s inspiring to see a law firm that not only provides excellent service but also makes a meaningful impact beyond the office. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Pickett and his incredible team. Thank you all for your dedication, generosity, and the positive difference you continue to make in the community. I highly recommend this firm to anyone looking for a team that genuinely cares.

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Ivanova Rodriguez

2 months ago

Great experience, kindness people

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