Losing a family member or surviving a life-changing injury can make everything feel uncertain. You deserve an attorney who will sit with you, listen to your story, and fight for your family like it's their own. That is what Hakakian Law was built to do.

 

Wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases are the highest-stakes personal injury claims in California. Insurance companies invest heavily in minimizing payouts on these cases, and families need a lawyer who prepares for trial from the very first day. Hakakian Law, founded by Shawn S. Hakakian, Esq., offers a free consultation and works on contingency, which means no upfront cost and no fee unless there is a recovery.

The firm serves clients in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and throughout California.

Wrongful Death Attorney in Los Angeles

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim in California?

A wrongful death claim is a lawsuit filed when someone dies because of another person's carelessness or wrongful act. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, the claim belongs to the surviving family members of the person who died.

 

To win a wrongful death case, the family must show four things: the other person owed a duty of care, they broke that duty, the breach caused the death, and the surviving family suffered losses as a result. These cases can come from car accidents, medical mistakes, unsafe property conditions, workplace incidents, or any situation where someone's negligence took a life.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

California law gives the right to file to a specific group of people. A surviving spouse or registered domestic partner can file. So can the children of the person who died, or grandchildren if the children are no longer living.

Anyone who was financially dependent on the person who died may also have standing. A personal representative of the estate can file on behalf of the family as well. If you are unsure whether you qualify, a wrongful death attorney in Los Angeles can review your situation during a free consultation.

What Compensation Can the Family Recover?

Families who lose a loved one to someone else's negligence can seek several types of compensation under California law. Economic damages include funeral and burial costs, medical bills incurred before the death, and the lost financial support the family would have received over a lifetime.

Non-economic damages cover the loss of love, companionship, comfort, and guidance that the person provided. California's statute of limitations gives families 2 years from the date of death to file a claim under CCP § 335.1. Missing that deadline can permanently prevent the family from recovering anything.

What If the Insurance Company Offers Too Little?

Insurance companies routinely undervalue wrongful death claims. They know that grieving families are vulnerable, and they often push quick, low settlements before a family has time to understand what the case is truly worth. Accepting an early offer without legal advice can mean leaving tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.

 

A wrongful death lawyer in Los Angeles can counter a lowball offer with evidence: income records, expert projections of lifetime financial losses, and documentation of the full emotional and financial toll on the family. Hakakian Law prepares every wrongful death case for trial from day one, and that trial-ready posture puts genuine pressure on insurers to offer a fair number rather than risk a jury verdict.

What Should I Do First After a Wrongful Death?

Take care of yourself and your family first. When you are ready, there are a few steps that protect your legal rights.

Preserve any evidence you can, including police reports, medical records, photos, and contact information for witnesses. Do not give a recorded statement to the other side's insurance company before talking to a lawyer, because anything you say can be used to reduce your claim.

 

Contact a wrongful death attorney in Los Angeles as soon as you are able. Evidence fades, witnesses forget details, and surveillance footage gets erased. Acting early gives your attorney the best chance to build a strong case. Hakakian Law offers a free consultation so you can understand your options with no cost and no pressure.

Los Angeles Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

What Is a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury is one that permanently changes how you live, work, or care for yourself. Common examples include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), paralysis, severe burns, amputations, and any injury that results in permanent disability.

What separates catastrophic injuries from other personal injury cases is the lifetime impact. A broken arm heals. A spinal cord injury may require around-the-clock care, adaptive equipment, home modifications, and decades of medical treatment. The financial stakes are measured in millions, not thousands.

What Damages Can a Catastrophic Injury Victim Recover?

California law allows catastrophic injury victims to seek compensation that covers the full scope of their losses. That includes past and future medical expenses, lifetime care costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the cost of adaptive equipment like wheelchairs or modified vehicles.

Proving lifetime losses requires expert witnesses. Life care planners calculate the cost of future medical treatment and personal care over a victim's expected lifespan. Vocational experts assess how the injury affects the person's ability to earn a living. These professionals are essential in catastrophic injury cases because the difference between a rough estimate and an expert-backed projection can be worth millions of dollars.

Hakakian Law works with these specialists to document every dollar a client will need going forward. The firm handles catastrophic injury cases in Los Angeles and throughout California on contingency, so there is no cost to get started.

What If My Child Was Catastrophically Injured?

Cases involving children carry an added layer of complexity. A child who suffers a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury faces a lifetime of care, and that lifetime is much longer than an adult's. Projections must account for decades of medical treatment, educational support, and lost future earnings the child may never have the chance to earn.

Catastrophic injury attorneys in California retain pediatric specialists, child psychologists, and life care planners who focus specifically on children. These experts help build a case that reflects what the child will actually need over 50, 60, or 70 years. Getting these projections right is the difference between a settlement that runs out and one that provides for your child's entire life.

If your child was badly hurt in an accident, contact Hakakian Law for a free consultation. Shawn Hakakian personally reviews every case and can connect your family with the right medical and vocational experts from the start.

Do I Need a Catastrophic Injury Attorney or Can I Handle It Myself?

Insurance companies have teams of adjusters, defense lawyers, and medical consultants whose job is to minimize what they pay. In a catastrophic injury case, the gap between what an insurer initially offers and what the case is actually worth can be staggering. Attempting to negotiate a lifetime-care claim without legal representation puts you at a severe disadvantage.

An experienced catastrophic injury lawyer in California knows how to identify every category of loss, retain the right experts, and present evidence in a way that holds up against aggressive insurance defense tactics. Hakakian Law works on contingency: you pay no fee unless there is a recovery, and the initial consultation is free. There is no financial risk in finding out what your case is worth.

Why Choose Hakakian Law for Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Injury in Los Angeles?

Hakakian Law was founded by Shawn S. Hakakian, Esq. on a simple idea: every client deserves direct, personal attention from their attorney. At large, high-volume firms, your case can get handed off to an associate or paralegal you never met. At Hakakian Law, Shawn Hakakian stays involved in your case from the first phone call through resolution.

Every case is prepared for trial from day one. That approach produces better settlements because insurance companies know the difference between a firm that files lawsuits and one that is genuinely ready to go to a jury. When an insurer sees a trial-ready case file, the settlement numbers go up.

There is no cost to get started. Hakakian Law offers a free consultation for wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, and the firm works entirely on contingency. You pay nothing out of pocket, and the firm collects a fee only if it recovers money for you. The firm serves families and injury victims in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and communities throughout California.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a wrongful death claim in California?

You have 2 years from the date of death under California CCP § 335.1. Once the deadline passes, you lose the right to file. Acting quickly also protects evidence and witness testimony that can fade over time.

How long do I have to file a catastrophic injury claim in California?

The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of injury under the same California CCP § 335.1. Waiting too long can permanently prevent you from recovering compensation, so speak with a catastrophic injury attorney in California as soon as possible.

How much does a wrongful death or catastrophic injury attorney cost?

Hakakian Law works on a contingency fee. There is no upfront cost, and you pay no fee unless the firm recovers money for you. The initial consultation is completely free.

What if the insurance company already made an offer?

Do not accept any offer before consulting an attorney. First offers from insurance companies routinely undervalue wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims. A Los Angeles wrongful death or catastrophic injury lawyer can evaluate the offer, determine what your case is actually worth, and negotiate or litigate for the full amount.

 

Hakakian Law Group proudly serves victims across Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and surrounding communities. If you’ve been injured, contact us for a free consultation. You don’t pay unless we win.