Jacksonville Wrongful Death Lawyers

Record Verdicts. Compassionate Advocacy for Jacksonville Families Since 2009.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a preventable accident, you may be able to bring a wrongful death case in Florida. At Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., filing a claim can help your family maintain financial stability while holding negligent parties accountable. Our team handles every step of your case, investigating the accident, establishing liability, and fighting for full compensation, so you can focus on healing. 

Contact our Jacksonville wrongful death attorneys today at (904) 295-1050 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help.

Common Wrongful Death Claims

Wrongful death occurs when a person or entity acts negligently or carelessly and causes someone’s death, or when they breach a legal duty that put your loved one at risk. These cases can arise in many different circumstances.

The most common wrongful death cases involve:

Auto accidents (including cars, trucks, buses, boats, and motorcycles)

Drownings in an unsafe facility

Medical malpractice

Construction accidents

Dog attacks

Defective products

Acts of violence

In each of these situations, you may have the right to bring a claim directly against the person or entity responsible. Wrongful death cases are rarely straightforward, and having the right legal team behind you makes a real difference in what your family may be able to recover.

Nursing Home Wrongful Death in Jacksonville

When a nursing home resident dies because of abuse or neglect at a facility, the family may have grounds for a wrongful death claim. Common failures that lead to these deaths include understaffing, negligent hiring, inadequate supervision, untreated infections and bedsores, medication errors, and falls that proper monitoring may have prevented. Liability can extend beyond the facility itself to administrators, individual staff members, and third-party contractors depending on where the negligence originated.

Families pursuing a nursing home wrongful death claim in Jacksonville often don’t realize that Florida law allows them to bring both a wrongful death action for survivors’ losses and a survival action for the resident’s pre-death pain and suffering at the same time. Compensation may cover medical expenses before death, funeral and burial costs, loss of companionship, and the suffering your loved one endured before passing. Florida’s statute of limitations for these claims is generally two years from the date of death, though the timeline may be extended if the facility concealed evidence of abuse.

Edwards & Ragatz, P.A. handles nursing home wrongful death cases as part of our dedicated nursing home abuse practice. We partner with medical, economic, and investigative professionals to document the standard-of-care failures that caused your loved one’s death and to build a strong claim on your family’s behalf. Thomas S. Edwards Jr. is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, and our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients, including a $178 million medical malpractice verdict. If you’re looking for a nursing home wrongful death lawyer in Jacksonville, we offer free, confidential consultations and respond to calls, texts, and emails, including evenings and weekends.

Florida Wrongful Death Laws

Wrongful death cases in Florida are governed by the Florida Wrongful Death Act, which outlines who may bring a claim, what damages are recoverable, and how compensation is distributed among surviving family members.

A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. This person pursues the claim on behalf of the estate and eligible survivors, such as spouses, children, and parents.

Florida imposes a statute of limitations on wrongful death claims. In most cases, families have two years from the date of death to file. Missing that deadline can mean losing the right to seek compensation entirely. Speaking with a Jacksonville wrongful death attorney as soon as possible can help preserve critical evidence and keep your options open.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Florida?

Only the personal representative of the deceased’s estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida. That person acts on behalf of the estate and any eligible surviving family members.

The beneficiaries who may receive compensation if the lawsuit is successful are categorized as follows:

• Surviving spouse: The spouse of the deceased may recover damages for loss of companionship, support, and related losses.
• Children: The deceased’s surviving children, both minor and adult, are eligible to receive damages.
• Parents: Surviving parents may recover damages, though their eligibility depends on whether a spouse or children also survived.
• Other dependents: When no surviving spouse, children, or parents exist, relatives who were financially dependent on the deceased may be considered, subject to specific legal provisions.

Compensation in Wrongful Death Cases

Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence leaves families facing both emotional and financial hardship. Florida law allows surviving family members to seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit, holding responsible parties accountable for what they did.

Wrongful death cases typically involve two separate legal claims: a wrongful death action and a survival action. Both are often pursued together, but they serve different purposes. A wrongful death action is brought on behalf of surviving family members for their personal losses; a survival action is pursued by the deceased’s estate to recover damages the victim could have claimed had they survived.

What a Wrongful Death Action Covers

Surviving family members may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses incurred before the victim’s passing
• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of financial support based on the victim’s earnings and expected future income
• Loss of benefits and inheritance the deceased would have provided
• Loss of companionship, care, and guidance suffered by a spouse, children, or parents
• Mental and emotional suffering endured by surviving family members

What a Survival Action Covers

A survival action allows the estate to recover for the damages the victim personally experienced before passing, which may include:

• Pain and suffering before death
• Medical bills and treatment costs accumulated before passing
• Lost wages and earnings from the time of injury to the time of death
• Property damage resulting from the accident, if applicable

Unlike a wrongful death action, where compensation goes directly to surviving family members, a survival action’s recovery is distributed through the estate according to the deceased’s will or Florida’s inheritance laws.

Every wrongful death case is different. The value of a claim depends on the age, health, and income of the deceased, the circumstances of their death, and the extent of losses the surviving family has suffered. Insurance companies routinely attempt to minimize payouts, but our wrongful death attorneys fight for full and fair compensation on your behalf.

At Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., we’re committed to fighting for justice and pursuing compensation so families can focus on healing.

Additional Wrongful Death Information

Download the free Edwards & Ragatz P.A. Wrongful Death Guide today for more information about what to do if you believe your loved one died as the result of negligence or carelessness.

View Resources

Wrongful Death FAQs

How Long Do Wrongful Death Cases Take?

The timeline depends on the complexity of the case, the number of parties involved, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Some cases resolve in months; others take longer.

Do All Wrongful Death Cases Go to Court?

No. Many wrongful death claims are resolved through settlement negotiations. When the opposing party refuses to offer fair compensation, litigation may be necessary to pursue compensation for your family.

Can Multiple Parties Be Held Liable?

Yes. More than one individual or company can share responsibility for a death. An employer, manufacturer, or property owner may each bear some portion of liability depending on the circumstances.

What If My Loved One Was Partially at Fault?

Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system. If the deceased is found to have been more than 50 percent at fault, the family cannot recover damages. If the deceased shared some responsibility but was 50 percent or less at fault, compensation may still be available, reduced in proportion to their share of fault.

Why Choose Edwards & Ragatz, P.A. as Your Jacksonville Wrongful Death Lawyers

Wrongful death cases are rarely simple, and the legal team you choose matters. Our Jacksonville wrongful death lawyers at Edwards & Ragatz, P.A. have handled cases across every major cause of death, and we bring the resources, credentials, and courtroom experience to take on even the most complex claims.

Thomas S. Edwards Jr. is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. Eric C. Ragatz is AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Together, our attorneys bring over 150 years of combined trial experience, and our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients, including a $228 million judgment and a $178 million medical malpractice verdict, among the largest in Florida history. We’re recognized by Best Law Firms, Best Lawyers, TopVerdict.com, and The National Law Journal, and our team includes former prosecutors and insurance defense attorneys who know how the other side builds its case.

When you work with Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., our team can:

• Conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of death
• Identify all liable parties and insurance coverage
• Gather medical records, accident reports, and expert testimony
• Handle negotiations with insurers and defense attorneys
• Prepare your case for trial if a fair settlement isn’t offered

Your family deserves a team that treats your case as a priority and fights like it. That’s what we do.

If your loved one was wrongfully killed due to negligence, time matters. Contact our team today at (904) 295-1050 for a free, confidential consultation.