Orlando Wrongful Death Lawyer

After a fatal incident in Orlando, your family may face questions from investigators, insurers, and people handling estate matters. You do not have to sort out every legal role before asking for help.

Under Florida law, the personal representative brings a wrongful-death action for the survivors and the estate. Katz & Associates helps families review the claim, preserve evidence, and understand who has authority to act.

Talk About Your Family’s Next Step
Schedule A Call

Florida law firm founded in 2005

No attorney fee unless compensation is recovered for you

Wrongful Death Attorney

SEPARATE ROLES, ONE FAMILY

A police report, an estate file, and an injury claim do different jobs

An investigation may explain how the death happened. An estate proceeding can address who is authorized to act. A wrongful-death lawsuit seeks the losses that Florida law allows when a death was caused by a legally wrongful act.

Opening one file does not necessarily open the others or satisfy their deadlines. The Orange County Clerk provides separate Civil and Probate contacts. That distinction is a useful starting point, not a determination that every death in Orlando belongs in an Orange County estate or civil case.

Our Orlando personal injury page covers other injury matters. This page focuses on the additional roles and family losses that arise after a death.

THE EVENT GUIDES THE INVESTIGATION

What happened determines which records we need

Auto Accident

A fatal road collision

The investigating agency, vehicle records, witness accounts, and insurance policies can help establish responsibility. Our Orlando car accident guide explains the broader road-claim context.

Box Truck Accidents

A company vehicle crash

A driver’s conduct may be only part of the inquiry. Work assignments, vehicle upkeep, employer relationships, and available coverage may also need review.

DUI Accident Lawsuit Lawyer

Suspected impaired driving

A criminal investigation and a civil claim have separate purposes. Families can seek legal guidance without waiting for a criminal case to finish.

Uber Lyft Accident Attorney

A rideshare-related death

Trip records and driver app status may affect the insurance analysis. Preserve booking messages and receipts without assuming that one particular policy applies.

Pedestrian & Cyclists DUI Crash Lawyer

A pedestrian or bicycle collision

Scene measurements, visibility, crossing movements, video, and witness observations can help test competing accounts of what happened.

Fatal Premises Accidents​

A dangerous property condition

The exact location and control of the area matter. A condition on private property and one involving a public entity can raise different duties and procedures.

Nursing Home Neglect Deaths Lawyer

Concerns about facility care

A death in a care setting does not itself prove neglect. Records and qualified analysis are needed to examine the cause and the legal rules that apply.

Fatal Premises Accident Lawyer

A fatal incident at work

Work-related deaths may involve workers’ compensation and possible claims against other responsible parties. The available legal routes need individual review, not an assumption that every workplace death supports the same lawsuit.

Start with the person calling, not a stack of completed forms

A spouse, child, parent, or another concerned relative may be the first person to ask for help. That first conversation is different from having authority to file the lawsuit.

If estate administration also needs attention, Katz & Associates offers Florida probate services to help families and personal representatives understand court filings and estate duties.

For the statewide framework, see our Florida wrongful death guidance. A call can begin before every estate document is available.

Schedule A Call

KEEP THE FILES CONNECTED

Make a record map, not a second investigation for the family

The investigating agency

Keep the report number and agency name. Orlando Police, the sheriff, and other agencies do not share a single request process for every incident.

Insurance correspondence

Save policy information, letters, claim numbers, and requests for signatures. A proposed release deserves review before anyone signs for the family or estate.

Family and estate information

Keep any appointment documents and an accurate list of family relationships. Eligibility for particular losses depends on each person's relationship and the losses Florida law allows.

Private records and witnesses

Businesses, drivers, employers, and other people may hold evidence outside the public report. Preserve original messages, photos, and contact details.

The loss belongs to a family. The law still separates the categories.

Florida’s wrongful-death damages statute distinguishes survivor losses from estate losses. Depending on the relationship and circumstances, recoverable losses may include lost support or services, certain companionship or mental-pain losses, and qualifying medical or funeral expenses. Not every relative can recover every category.

Useful records include support the person provided, household services, expenses paid, and the impact on eligible survivors. There is no reliable online formula for the value of a family’s claim. The evidence and legal limits both matter.

Silhouette of troubled women outdoors

Florida generally provides a two-year period for wrongful-death actions under section 95.11(5)(e). Exceptions and other rules may change the analysis. Government involvement, disputed causes of death, or related proceedings need separate review. A pending investigation should not be treated as a reason to assume the civil deadline is paused.

For an Orlando Police crash investigation, the city explains how to request its crash report. If a different agency investigated, start with that agency instead. Access restrictions may apply.

Questions when an Orlando loss leaves several unfinished processes

No. Reporting or investigating a death does not by itself file a wrongful-death lawsuit or appoint a personal representative. Each process has its own role.

Florida law places the action with the personal representative for survivors and the estate. Different relatives may have different interests, but family status alone does not authorize each person to file the same claim.

Not necessarily. The proper place for estate proceedings and the venue for a civil claim depend on additional facts. The location of the incident is not the only factor.

Keep one clear record of contacts, estate documents, and information received. Tell counsel where the person lived and where relatives are located so the authority and coordination questions can be assessed.

No. A family can seek civil legal advice while a criminal investigation or case is pending. The legal standards and purposes differ, and evidence must be evaluated for the civil claim.

Say what you were told and who provided the information. A preliminary explanation may change. Counsel can identify which records and further investigation are needed without treating uncertainty as proof of wrongdoing.

Ask for a clear explanation of what your family can do next

You do not need to resolve the legal roles before making a first call. Tell Katz & Associates what happened, who has contacted the family, and whether a representative has been appointed. We can discuss the claim and the records that need attention.

Call (407) 802-5289 or use the form to request a private case review.