Serving South Jersey
Seeking Justice and Compensation for Families After the Unthinkable
A death in the family can leave practical questions that cannot wait: who will cover household expenses, which records should be saved, and who can speak for the estate? When another party may have caused the death, a legal review can help the family understand the available claims without guessing what compensation the law permits.
The Law Offices of Craig A. Altman represents families in South Jersey. We can review how the death occurred, identify records that may help explain it, and discuss the difference between a wrongful-death claim for eligible survivors and a survival claim belonging to the estate. The facts, available evidence, and applicable law determine which claims can be pursued.
From our Vineland office, we fight for injured South Jersey residents across Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, Cape May, and Salem Counties.
Why South Jersey Chooses the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman
Wrongful death cases demand more than sympathy; they require precision, speed, and courtroom readiness. Insurance companies move quickly to limit payouts. Families need legal counsel that knows how to investigate thoroughly, calculate lifetime losses, and hold negligent parties fully accountable.
Decades of complex wrongful death litigation. From tractor‑trailer collisions to surgical errors, we know how to assemble evidence and value lifetime economic loss.
Comprehensive damages strategy. Economists, vocational experts, and grief counselors quantify lost wages, household services, and the support the family deserves.
Coordination with the Survival Act claims. Our law firm pursues both wrongful death damages for surviving family members and Survival Act damages for the estate’s medical bills and conscious pain.
Contingency‑fee representation. Initial consultations are free; no legal fee is owed unless we recover compensation.
When everything feels uncertain, experience and preparation matter. Our team focuses on protecting your family’s financial future while you focus on healing.
New Jersey Wrongful Death Laws That Shape Your Claim
New Jersey treats a wrongful-death action and a survival action as different claims. They can arise from the same incident, but they address different losses and may distribute a recovery differently. A lawyer should identify the proper representative, eligible beneficiaries and applicable deadlines before a case is filed.
Issue | What families should understand |
|---|---|
Wrongful-death claim | The Wrongful Death Act addresses qualifying financial losses suffered by eligible survivors because of the death. It is not the same as the deceased person’s own injury claim. |
Survival claim | The Survival Act preserves claims the deceased person could have pursued while alive. Depending on the evidence, those claims may include losses experienced between injury and death. |
Who may receive a recovery | New Jersey’s statutory beneficiary rules apply to wrongful-death proceeds. Dependency can affect allocation; the money is not simply divided equally among every relative. |
Timing | Deadlines and any applicable notice requirements should be reviewed promptly. Do not assume that every related claim has the same filing date or that an exception applies. |
Common Causes of New Jersey Wrongful Death Cases
Most wrongful death cases in New Jersey stem from preventable negligence. Whether the loss was caused by a reckless driver, an unsafe construction site, a medical mistake, or a dangerous product, these tragedies typically follow patterns. Identifying how the fatal incident occurred and who may be legally responsible is the first step in building a strong claim.
Event | Typical Scenario | Responsible Parties |
Car & Truck Accidents | Drunk, distracted, or speeding drivers | At‑fault driver, trucking company, vehicle manufacturer |
Construction Site Accidents | Falls, electrocutions, equipment malfunctions | General contractor, subcontractor, equipment maker |
Medical Malpractice | Misdiagnosis, surgical errors, and birth trauma | Hospitals, physicians, and medical device companies |
Defective Products | Exploding batteries, faulty brakes | Product manufacturers, distributors, and retailers |
Pedestrian & Bicycle Collisions | Unsafe crosswalks, negligent motorists | Driver, municipality (road design), property owner |
Every wrongful death case is fact-specific. Multiple parties may share liability, and insurance companies move quickly to limit exposure. Acting fast to investigate the incident, preserve evidence, and identify all responsible parties can make the difference between a denied claim and full financial recovery for your family.
What Losses Can a Wrongful Death Claim Address?
A wrongful-death claim focuses on the financial effect of the death on eligible survivors. Evidence may include income records, employment benefits, household responsibilities and the support the deceased person provided. The purpose is to establish supported losses, not to promise a particular award.
Financial Support and Services
Depending on the facts, the claim may address lost financial contributions and the economic value of services the deceased person would have provided. Family members should save available income records and examples of practical help, such as childcare or household work. Those details can help counsel evaluate the loss.
Grief Is Different From Financial Loss
A family’s grief is real, but it is not itself a separate category of damages under New Jersey’s Wrongful Death Act. The financial value of qualifying services, advice or guidance must be distinguished from the emotional loss of the relationship.
A Separate Claim for the Estate
A survival claim may address the deceased person’s own qualifying losses before death, including conscious pain and suffering where supported by evidence. The lawyer handling the matter should explain which damages belong to which claim and avoid counting the same loss twice. Questions about any additional remedy require a case-specific legal review.
Steps to Protect Your Wrongful Death Case
Request the death certificate and any coroner or autopsy reports as soon as available.
Preserve evidence from the fatal accident, such as the vehicle, accident reports, medical records, defective product, or job‑site photographs.
Ask counsel which appointment or representative is needed for each claim; do not assume every relative may file individually.
Keep insurance correspondence and requests together. Obtain advice before signing a release or settlement, while still meeting applicable notice and cooperation requirements.
Contact a New Jersey wrongful death lawyer promptly to meet filing deadlines and locate all responsible parties.
New Jersey Wrongful Death Claim FAQs
Who can sue for wrongful death in New Jersey?
The action must be brought through the representative authorized by New Jersey law. The person who files is not necessarily the person who receives all of the recovery. Counsel can confirm the appropriate appointment and identify the eligible beneficiaries.
How are damages divided in a New Jersey wrongful death claim?
Distribution follows New Jersey's statutory rules, including rules addressing dependency. The result is not necessarily an equal split among relatives or the same distribution that applies to an estate. The family's circumstances should be reviewed before assuming who will receive a share.
How do you prove another party's negligence in a wrongful death suit?
You must show that the defendant’s negligence or misconduct caused the wrongful death victim's fatal injury and that the survivors suffered financial loss.
What fees do wrongful death lawyers charge?
Ask for a written explanation of the fee agreement, case expenses and how any recovery would be distributed. Our initial consultation is free. The agreement should explain the financial terms before representation begins.
Get a Free Consultation With a Compassionate and Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney
If someone else’s negligence claimed your loved one’s life, you have the right to seek accountability and financial compensation. Contact the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman for a free consultation and learn how we pursue justice for grieving families across Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties.
$20 Million
Wrongful Death in New Jersey
$2 Million
Longshoreman Injury in New Jersey
$1.3 Million
Workplace Injury in New Jersey
$1 Million
Workplace Accident in New Jersey
$825,000
Workplace Injury in New Jersey
$750,000
Individual Harmed by an Exploding Thermos
$550,000
Neck & Back Injuries
$440,000
Workplace Injury in New Jersey
$400,000
Motor Vehicle Accident
$300,000
Minor with a Broken Leg
$300,000
Injuries Resulting From a Trip & Fall
$250,000
Pedestrian Accident
Injured? Tell Us Your Story. We’ll Handle the Rest.
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Cases We Handle in New Jersey
Injured at work, in an accident, or in a slip-and-fall in New Jersey?
From comparative-fault rules to the Workers’ Compensation Act, the Altman Team knows New Jersey law inside out. Whether your claim arises in Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem, or Cape May County, we will protect your legal rights and help you get every dollar you deserve.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.