Bronx Wrongful Death Lawyer
Losing a loved one because of someone else’s negligence is one of the most difficult things a family can go through. While no sum of money can make up for such a loss, damages from a wrongful death lawsuit can provide financial security for your family, expose the wrongdoer, and give you a measure of justice.
Our Bronx wrongful death lawyers are committed to fighting for the maximum compensation available. If your loved one’s life was cut short in a preventable accident in the Bronx, contact us online or call (718) 933-3632 to schedule a free case review.
Key Takeaways
- Proven Experience and Success: With over 70 years of combined experience, our team has successfully recovered hundreds of millions in compensation for our clients. We have a strong track record of securing substantial settlements, which means we know how to fight for the compensation you deserve.
- Comprehensive and Compassionate Service: We handle every aspect of your case—from investigating the accident and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies and representing you in court. Our goal is to take the legal burden off your shoulders so you can focus on your family.
- Deep Local Knowledge: Our firm is deeply rooted in the Bronx, and we have a thorough understanding of the local legal landscape. This local expertise helps us effectively navigate your case and advocate for you within our community.
Table of Contents
- Why You Can Trust Lever & Ecker To Handle Your Bronx Wrongful Death Lawsuit
- Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in the Bronx?
- What Damages Can You Recover for the Death of a Loved One?
- Who Is Liable for My Loved One’s Death?
- The Law Limits Your Time To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
- How Can Our Bronx Wrongful Death Attorneys Help?
- Accidental Deaths in the Bronx
- Schedule Your Free Consultation Today and Pay Nothing Unless We Win
Why You Can Trust Lever & Ecker To Handle Your Bronx Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Our approach is simple: We listen to you, guide you, and help you with whatever needs to be done right away. We are passionate about securing justice against the at-fault parties who cut your loved one’s life short. We will handle all of the legal work so you can focus on your family.
When you work with us, you can rest assured that your claim is in the capable hands of award-winning attorneys with deep roots in the Bronx. With over 70 years of combined experience and hundreds of millions recovered in compensation, our winning track record proves we have what it takes to get the compensation you deserve. Our case results speak for themselves.
What Our Clients Say
The glowing feedback we regularly receive from our clients reflects our genuine concern for their needs, as demonstrated in the testimonials below:
“David Lever and Adam Weiss are exceptional lawyers, and the entire staff was incredibly professional and caring. They went above and beyond to represent my legal needs, and I felt reassured knowing that my case was in good hands. Their dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to seeing justice served were evident throughout the entire process. Adam's work ethic was unparalleled, and he genuinely cares about his clients. Thanks to their expertise and hard work, the best possible outcome was achieved.”
“The kindness, support, compassion, and expertise from the Lever and Ecker firm is exceptional. I highly appreciate their professionalism and dedication to helping clients. I provide my highest recommendation.”
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in the Bronx?
In New York, the only person who can file a wrongful death claim is the personal representative of the decedent. They can be named by the decedent in their will or appointed by a court. Wrongful death damages are then distributed to the surviving spouse, children, and other surviving family members of the decedent in order of priority.
What Damages Can You Recover for the Death of a Loved One?
When your loved one is killed because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover damages for your family’s financial losses and the damages your loved one could have recovered had they survived, including:
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering caused by their fatal injuries
- Your loved one’s medical expenses
- Loss of your loved one’s lifetime earnings
- Loss of inheritance
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Value of your loved one’s support and services
- Loss of parental nurturing and guidance
Unlike most states, New York prevents family members from recovering damages for their own sorrow, mental anguish, and loss of companionship in wrongful death cases. Recently, the state legislature passed a bill known as the Grieving Families Act, which would have allowed families to recover these damages. However, Governor Hochul vetoed the bill.
Our Bronx wrongful death lawyers support the Grieving Families Act. The current wrongful death law discriminates against surviving family members of lower-income workers, adults who no longer work, and children. Ultimately, they cannot hold negligent parties fully accountable and recover compensation for the full measure of their losses.
Who Is Liable for My Loved One’s Death?
Liability for wrongful death varies widely based on the facts in each case. Generally speaking, anyone who causes or contributes to a fatal injury may be held liable for a wrongful death. Among others, potentially liable parties may include:
- Drivers
- Vehicle owners
- Trucking companies
- Construction companies
- Government entities
- Property owners
- Building management companies
- Product manufacturers
The Law Limits Your Time To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The New York personal injury statute of limitations sets a two-year deadline for filing most wrongful death lawsuits. However, there are exceptions, some of which shorten the deadline. Therefore, it is important to consult a reputable Bronx wrongful death law firm as soon as possible after your loved one’s death. If you wait too long, you could lose your opportunity to pursue justice and accountability.
How Can Our Bronx Wrongful Death Attorneys Help?
If you are grieving the loss of your loved one, our experienced wrongful death lawyers in the Bronx can determine whether you have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit. We will handle your case while you care for your grieving family. You can count on us to:
- Investigate the accident and identify who is responsible.
- Interview witnesses.
- Gather all available evidence.
- Gather testimony from experts.
- Clear your loved one of blame if fault is unfairly assigned.
- Work with your loved one’s personal representative.
- File your wrongful death lawsuit before the deadline passes.
- Negotiate a full and fair settlement.
- Present a compelling case in court if the at-fault party does not offer a fair settlement.
- Keep you informed throughout the life of your case.
Accidental Deaths in the Bronx
The New York Department of Health reports that the top three causes of preventable deaths in the Bronx are motor vehicle accidents, falls, and accidental poisonings. Our Bronx wrongful death attorneys represent grieving families when they lose a loved one in preventable accidents, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Trip and fall accidents
Pedestrian Knockdowns
Pedestrians are some of the most vulnerable road users in the Bronx. The borough’s intersections and roadways lack the safety infrastructure pedestrians deserve, forcing them to battle such things as complicated intersections, illegally parked trucks that block visibility, and traffic congestion.
Among all Bronx residents, senior citizens have a higher risk of being struck by cars and a 50 percent higher risk of death or serious injury when hit. Although they represent just 12 percent of the borough’s population, senior citizens account for 31 percent of pedestrian fatalities in the Bronx.
In 2023, 12 Bronx pedestrians lost their lives, and another 1,375 were injured. The most common causes were distracted driving and failure to yield by motorists. Our experienced Bronx pedestrian accident lawyers recovered $12 million for the family of a pedestrian who was struck by a bus and suffered a head injury that resulted in a lengthy period of conscious pain and suffering before death.
Wrongful Death from Car Accidents
In 2023, 41 people in the Bronx were killed in car accidents, including three bicyclists, 12 pedestrians, and 26 motorists, according to the New York City Crash Mapper. Inattentive and distracted driving is by far the most common cause.
We have successfully represented surviving family members of victims killed in a wide range of fatal Bronx car accidents, including:
- Rear-end collisions
- Distracted driving collisions
- Drunk driving collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Sideswipes
- T-bone accidents
- Road rage incidents
- Reckless and aggressive driving incidents
Construction Accidents
If your loved one was killed in a construction accident in the Bronx, you may be entitled to recover death benefits through workers’ compensation. Our skilled Bronx construction accident lawyers can pursue additional compensation through a so-called third-party claim against the owner of the construction site, general contractors and construction managers, equipment manufacturers, and other at-fault parties on your behalf.
Construction work is dangerous. In 2022 alone, 11 construction workers were killed on the job in New York City. One of these fatalities occurred in the Bronx neighborhood of Mount Hope when an excavator arm fell, causing the bucket to strike a worker’s head.
Construction companies in the Bronx have a poor safety record. In one near-miss incident in Claremont Village, a construction worker was dragged up a building to the seventh floor when his leg got caught in a tagline attached to a hoist. His co-workers were able to bring him back to the ground safely. An investigation revealed that the construction company violated safety regulations and failed to follow the hoist manufacturer’s instructions.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable road users who face a high risk of injury and death in accidents. Motorcyclists are often injured when drivers turn left in front of them, merge into them, or rear-end them. Potholes and rubble on the Bronx’s poorly maintained roads can also cause serious accidents, while traffic congestion on the Cross Bronx Expressway, Bruckner Expressway, and Bronx River Parkway put motorcyclists at risk of being hit by speeding cars, inattentive drivers, and large commercial trucks.
Preliminary traffic safety data shows that nine motorcyclists died in accidents on Bronx roadways in 2023. Seven were killed in 2022. Our Bronx motorcycle accident lawyers recently won $2.15 million for a family whose loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident.
Burn Injuries
Burns are some of the most serious injuries we see in your personal injury practice. They have a wide variety of causes, including:
- Apartment fires
- Hot water scaldings
- Electrocutions
- Construction accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
The average building age in New York City is 90 years, and some of the oldest buildings can be found in the most populated areas of the Bronx. Fires caused by faulty wiring and building code violations are a danger to all tenants. According to the New York City Department of Health, fires are the leading cause of fatal injuries in children aged five to nine and the second leading cause in children aged one to four.
Hot water scaldings are another common problem in the Bronx. We recently recovered $850,000 for the family of an infant who suffered second-degree burns from a scalding. The infant survived, but not all burn injury cases end as well. In 2016, two children were killed when a steam pipe burst in a Bronx homeless shelter.
Property Accidents
Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for lawful visitors. If your loved one died in an accident on public or private property, you may be entitled to compensation if the owner or manager failed to uphold their duty.
In December of 2023, an apartment building at 1915 Billingsley Terrace collapsed. Thankfully, no one was killed, but the next incident could be tragic. Founding partner David B. Lever recently wrote an op-ed in CityLimits about the ongoing danger of building collapses in the Bronx. He predicts that it is only a matter of time before the next collapse happens.
Slip/Trip and Fall Accidents
Slips or trips and falls are the leading cause of injury and death in Bronx seniors aged 65 and older, but they can happen to anyone. According to the 2022 New York City Construction Safety Report, falls are also the leading cause of construction accident fatalities, far exceeding any other cause. Property owners and managers may be liable for resulting fatalities when they fail to remove slip, trip, and fall hazards.
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today and Pay Nothing Unless We Win
You have nothing to lose by reaching out to our compassionate and dedicated attorneys. Your initial consultation is completely free and confidential. Further, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we secure compensation on your behalf. Fill out our online contact form or call (718) 933-3632 to schedule your free consultation with our skilled Bronx wrongful death lawyers today.
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