Lost a Loved One to Negligence? A Plantation Wrongful Death Attorney Can Help
Losing someone you love is devastating. When that loss results from someone else’s negligence, the grief is compounded by anger, confusion, and financial pressure you were never prepared to face. Florida law gives surviving family members the right to pursue accountability and compensation. But wrongful death claims are legally complex. Insurance companies move quickly to protect themselves. And grieving families are often left navigating a process they were never meant to handle alone.
C.H. Smith Law Firm represents families in Plantation and throughout Broward County who have lost a loved one due to negligence. Attorney Courtney Smith brings nearly 20 years of experience and a direct, client-focused approach to every wrongful death case we handle. We take on the legal fight so you can focus on your family. There are no upfront costs. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Florida?
Florida law is specific about who has the right to file a wrongful death claim. The claim is filed by the estate’s personal representative on behalf of eligible surviving family members.
Those who may be entitled to compensation include:
- A spouse of the deceased
- Minor and adult children of the deceased
- Parents of the deceased, if the deceased was a minor or an unmarried adult
- Other relatives who were financially dependent on the deceased
Florida’s statute of limitations gives families two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. Missing this deadline can permanently bar your family from recovering compensation. If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact our Plantation wrongful death attorney for a free case review.
If you would like a deeper understanding of how Florida wrongful death claims work, including who can recover compensation and what damages may be available, read our detailed guide.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle
Wrongful death claims arise when negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct takes a life. We represent families whose loved ones were killed in a wide range of preventable incidents.
- Car Accidents — Crashes caused by distracted, impaired, or reckless drivers are among the leading causes of wrongful death in Florida. We pursue full accountability from at-fault drivers and their insurers.
- Truck Accidents — Commercial truck crashes often involve federal regulation violations, employer negligence, and multiple liable parties. These cases require immediate action to preserve critical evidence.
- Motorcycle Accidents — Fatal motorcycle crashes frequently involve drivers who failed to yield or see the rider. We fight the bias motorcyclists often face from insurance companies even after a fatality.
- Medical Malpractice — When a doctor, hospital, or healthcare provider’s error costs a patient their life, surviving family members have the right to seek justice. These cases demand medical expertise and aggressive advocacy.
- Workplace Accidents — Fatal injuries caused by unsafe working conditions or employer negligence may support both a workers’ compensation claim and a wrongful death lawsuit.
- Defective Products — When a faulty product kills someone, the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer may bear liability. We pursue product liability claims on behalf of surviving families.
Where Fatal Accidents Commonly Occur in Plantation
Plantation’s location near major highways and busy commercial corridors contributes to a wide range of serious accidents that can lead to wrongful death claims. High-traffic roadways such as Interstate 595, University Drive, Broward Boulevard, and Sunrise Boulevard see thousands of vehicles each day, increasing the risk of catastrophic collisions involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, and pedestrians.
Fatal crashes may also occur near shopping centers, residential communities, construction zones, and busy intersections where heavy traffic and driver negligence create dangerous conditions. In addition to roadway incidents, wrongful deaths can arise from medical negligence, workplace accidents, unsafe premises, and defective products. When a preventable tragedy occurs in Plantation, surviving family members have the right to seek answers, accountability, and compensation under Florida law.
Compensation Available in a Florida Wrongful Death Case
A wrongful death claim seeks to compensate families for both the financial and personal losses that follow a tragic death. Florida law divides these damages into three categories.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover the measurable financial losses caused by the death:
- Medical expenses related to the deceased’s final treatment and hospitalization
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost income the deceased would have earned over their lifetime
- Lost benefits, including pensions, retirement funds, and insurance
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages address losses that cannot be calculated on a spreadsheet but are just as real:
- Pain and suffering experienced by surviving family members
- Loss of companionship and guidance for spouses and children
- Mental anguish, particularly for parents who lost a child
- Loss of parental care for minor children
Punitive Damages
In cases involving extreme recklessness or intentional misconduct, Florida courts may award punitive damages. These are designed to punish the responsible party and deter similar behavior in the future. Punitive damages are not available in every case, but our attorneys evaluate whether they apply and pursue them when the facts support it.
How We Build a Wrongful Death Case
Every wrongful death case we handle follows a thorough, evidence-driven process. Here is how we approach your family’s claim from start to finish.
Investigation and Evidence Collection
Our team carefully reviews the events that led to your loved one’s death. This process may include collecting medical records, accident reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, and other important evidence. We also consult with accident reconstruction experts, healthcare professionals, and financial specialists to help establish liability and accurately assess the full impact of your family’s loss.
Identifying All Liable Parties
In many wrongful death cases, more than one party shares responsibility. A truck company, a property owner, a medical facility, and a product manufacturer might each bear partial fault. We identify every responsible party to maximize the compensation available to your family.
Calculating Full Damages
We calculate both current and future losses before approaching any insurer with a demand. This includes lost lifetime earnings, future lost benefits, ongoing family support needs, and non-economic losses. A thorough damages calculation protects your family from accepting far less than your case is worth.
Settlement Negotiations
We negotiate directly with insurance companies and opposing parties. Insurers routinely offer low initial settlements to grieving families who do not have legal representation. We push back with evidence and demand compensation that reflects the true value of your loss.
Trial When Necessary
If an insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, we file suit and take your case to trial. Attorney Courtney Smith is fully trial-ready. That preparation changes how insurance companies respond at the negotiating table.
Why Families in Plantation Choose C.H. Smith Law Firm
Wrongful death cases demand more than legal knowledge. They demand an attorney who will treat your family’s loss with the seriousness it deserves while fighting without compromise for the outcome you need.
Attorney Courtney Smith has spent nearly 20 years representing injured clients and grieving families across Broward County and throughout Florida. He built C.H. Smith Law Firm on a direct, client-first model. Every family we represent works with their attorney personally, from the first consultation through final resolution.
.Insurance companies often look for ways to reduce or deny wrongful death claims. Our team knows how these cases are defended and works to challenge unfair settlement offers with strong evidence and careful preparation. If a fair resolution cannot be reached through negotiation, we are prepared to present your case in court.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrongful Death Claims in Plantation
1. How long does a wrongful death case take?
Timeline depends on case complexity, available evidence, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Some cases resolve within months. Others involving disputed liability or extensive damages take longer.
2. What if my loved one was partially at fault?
Florida’s modified comparative negligence rules still allow your family to recover compensation if the deceased shared partial fault. Your recovery is reduced by the deceased’s percentage of fault, but it is not eliminated unless fault exceeds 50 percent.
3. Will we have to go to court?
Most wrongful death cases settle through negotiation. However, if the insurer refuses a fair offer, we are fully prepared to litigate. We will never pressure your family to accept a settlement that does not reflect your actual losses.
4. How much does it cost to hire a wrongful death lawyer?
Nothing upfront. C.H. Smith Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis. Our fee comes only from the compensation we recover. If we do not win, you owe nothing.
5. How do we prove wrongful death?
We must establish that the defendant owed your loved one a duty of care, breached that duty through negligence or misconduct, that the breach directly caused the death, and that surviving family members suffered measurable damages as a result.
6. Can multiple family members receive compensation?
Yes. One wrongful death claim is filed through the estate’s personal representative, but compensation is distributed among all eligible surviving family members based on their relationship to the deceased.
7. How do we start a wrongful death claim?
Contact our Plantation wrongful death attorney for a free consultation. We review your case, explain your legal options, and outline the next steps. The sooner you reach out, the better positioned we are to preserve evidence and protect your family’s rights.
Contact Our Plantation Wrongful Death Attorney Today
Your family deserves answers, accountability, and experienced legal representation. C.H. Smith Law Firm is ready to review your case at no cost and no obligation.
Plantation Office
7805 S.W. 6th Court, Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: +1 (954) 228-9334
Tampa Office
201 E. Kennedy Blvd, Suite 600, Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: +1 (813) 322-5335
Email: info@chsmithlaw.com
No upfront fees. No costs unless we win. Serving wrongful death families throughout Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Lauderhill, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, and all of Broward County.
Justice starts with one call. We are ready to fight for your family.
