At TonaLaw, our New York wrongful death attorneys have a combined 30+ years of litigation experience. We use every resource at our disposal to effectively and efficiently resolve your wrongful death case. To speak with a Long Island wrongful death lawyer, call us at 1-844-TONALAW or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

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Wrongful death is the death of a person caused by the negligence of another person or entity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 39 wrongful deaths occur each year per 100,000 people in the United States. Among the nearly 121,000 annual deaths in America resulting from unintentional injury accidents, roughly 33,700 deaths are caused by motor vehicle collisions, 33,040 deaths from poisoning, and 26,000 deaths from slip and fall/trip and fall accidents.

Unfortunately, wrongful death is more common than we wish to believe.

We Know Your Rights, and You Should Too!

New York State’s wrongful death statutes allow dependents and beneficiaries (i.e. close relatives) to sue negligent parties responsible for the death of a family member. A wrongful death lawsuit may seek economic damages, such as compensation for medical, nursing, funeral expenses, and loss of future income or support. They may also pursue non-economic damages, such as personal conscious pain and suffering.

There are important procedural steps that must be taken in order to receive full and fair compensation for these claims and cases. That’s why it’s so important to speak with a Long Island wrongful death attorney about your claim. TonaLaw offers free case evaluations to review your rights and determine your grounds for a lawsuit.

In the unfortunate event of wrongful death, it is critical to immediately document and preserve evidence, obtain witness statements, and consult a lawyer in order to hold liable parties accountable and protect the rights of the surviving loved ones. TonaLaw is well versed in the specialized area of wrongful death. We understand your needs and will represent you with integrity and compassion.

Proving Negligence in a Wrongful Death Case

In order to have a successful wrongful death claim, you must be able to prove another party either caused the death intentionally or that they acted negligently. In legal terms, a person or party acts negligently when they behave in a way that a reasonable person would not. Generally, there are four elements that must be met to prove negligence.

1. Duty of Care

People have a general duty of care to avoid harming other people. However, certain relationships do exist that create a legal duty of care. For instance, drivers have a legal obligation to drive safely and avoid causing accidents at all costs. Medical professionals, on the other hand, have a duty to provide care in the same way another reasonable medical professional would.

2. Breach of Duty of Care

If a person fails to uphold their duty of care, they are said to have breached it. Specifically, they must have acted in a way that a “reasonably prudent person” would not have. For drivers, they may have breached their duty of care if they ran a stop sign, but not if they had to suddenly swerve to avoid a bicyclist. To prove a medical professional breached their duty of care, you must show that a reasonably prudent medical professional would not have acted in the same way.

3. The Breach of Duty Caused Injury

It’s not enough for a person to have breached their duty of care. That breach must have directly caused the fatal injury. For example, if a doctor prescribes the wrong medicine to your loved one, but your loved one was killed in a car wreck caused by a drunk driver, that doctor likely wouldn’t be held liable. However, if that wrong medication caused a reaction such as a seizure, and that caused your loved one to die in a car wreck, that doctor could be held liable.

4. There Are Real Damages to Be Compensated

Essentially, you must prove that you suffered financial harm in order to satisfy this requirement. This is usually the easiest element to prove. End-of-life medical costs, funeral costs, loss of income and other expenses can prove there are real damages that can be monetarily compensated.

You may also seek compensation for conscious pain and suffering of the deceased family member if it can be proven that the person did not die instantaneously.  This is usually accomplished through a pathologist or other forensics expert.

Who We Serve

TonaLaw serves our clients in a global fashion, looking at all facets of the client’s personal circumstances and the case. Our track record of uncompromising ethics and demonstrable personal injury litigation experience instills confidence and trust with all of our clients.

Our Suffolk County-based firm provides superior legal services to clients throughout Long Island, New York City, and New York State. No matter where you are within the Empire State, our experienced Long Island wrongful death lawyers can help you find justice for your loss.

The TonaLaw Advantage

At TonaLaw, we are a client-first practice. Our attorneys and support staff utilize our extensive legal experience and litigation acumen to represent personal injury clients aggressively, always seeking all remedies available to our clients under the law.

TonaLaw is a no-fee law firm – We get paid when we win your case!

We know that no amount of money can heal the pain you feel after you lose a loved one. But a wrongful death claim can help you begin to financially heal and rebuild your life.

If your loved one was killed due to the negligence or actions of another person or party, contact a Long Island wrongful death attorney at TonaLaw by calling (631) 780-5355 or toll-free at 1-844-TONALAW, or you may full out the form below. We always offer free, no-obligation consultations, and we will fight for your right to compensation with every resource available to us.

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What Our Clients Are Saying

Excellent5.0 Based on 371 reviews from review us onyessenia lopez ramosyessenia lopez ramos ★★★★★ I have know Attorney Will Ramos for many years. He is very detail oriented, a great advocate, and an empathetic individual.I have referred a few clients during their time of need over to Will and the friendly staff at Tona Law. He is willing to go above and beyond for others.CARLOS RODRIGUEZCARLOS RODRIGUEZ ★★★★★ I have known Will Ramos for 15 plus years and can attest to his character in placing the needs for others above his own. He is an asset to any organization and a team player with positive attitude.Jessica MalaveJessica Malave ★★★★★ I’ve known attorney Will Ramos for 16 years he always places the needs of others above his own. He is a caring man and super understanding and has a big heart.Bianca RamosBianca Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is awesome the law firm is lucky to have someone like him part of their team. He genuinely cares for others and is always willing to lend a helping hand.Response from the ownerBianca, thank you for leaving a wonderful review for our firm. We are lucky to have Will Ramos as part of our team! Arianna RamosArianna Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is nothing short of dedicated and hard working. Each case he works on demonstrates his passion for law and his care for his clients.Response from the ownerThank you for your review, Arianna! Will Ramos has been a wonderful asset to our team. JenneferJennefer ★★★★★ I've had the pleasure of knowing Lauren for quite a while now, and I must say, her dedication to her clients is truly remarkable. She takes immense pride in her work as a professional she seamlessly balances her role at Tona Law, where she's involved in legal matters. Having seen her commitment and skill firsthand, I can confidently recommend both Lauren and Tona Law to anyone seeking top-notch assistance.Celine Aubry-DumandCeline Aubry-Dumand ★★★★★ I had a great experience working with TonaLaw.The team was really friendly and helpful throughout the entire process.Response from the ownerCeline, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review for our firm. We are so grateful we were able to help you and provide you with a great experience. Thank you! Adam OmallyAdam Omally ★★★★★ I have known Lauren one of the paralegals at Tona law for many years and she is dedicated to her profession and helping her clients. Wonderful person.Alexandra DevineAlexandra Devine ★★★★★ Lauren at TonaLaw was extremely helpful! She was so nice and professional. I highly recommend asking for her!Margaret CaschettaMargaret Caschetta ★★★★★ I have known Lauren for a long time and she’s always been dedicated to her job! Excellent at anything she’s ever done.NICOLE GUASTONICOLE GUASTO ★★★★★ Lauren’s great- reliable empathetic the whole package - years of knowing her I wouldn’t ask for anyone elseKeith MaederKeith Maeder ★★★★★ I have known Lauren, one of the paralegals, for many years. Her client first approach is second to none. She is knowledgeable and professional. She as an asset to both her clients and Tona Law.Emily PadillaEmily Padilla ★★★★★ Ana was super professional and very polite! Answered all the questions that was needed! Highly recommend, wish I can give 10 stars!Kailynn ApolinarisKailynn Apolinaris ★★★★★ Ana is amazing! As an old coworker I can say Ana is always ready to assist. She is a great asset to anyone lucky enough to work with her.Response from the ownerKailynn, thank you for leaving a wonderful review for our firm. Ana is truly a wonderful part of our team! peter alsenpeter alsen ★★★★★ In all of my dealings with the TonaLaw office, the lawyers and staff have been excellent.They have earned my confidence and trust.Response from the ownerWe are so pleased to hear that you’ve had such a great experience with our team. Your confidence and trust in our firm is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your review! Ashley VelazquezAshley Velazquez ★★★★★ Ana was knowledgeable, courteous & helpful throughout everything! She was willing to go the extra mile! It was a delight working with her. You’re in great hands when working with Ana!!Patty RivasPatty Rivas ★★★★★ The team is fantastic. I worked with Ana directly and appreciated how quickly she was able to respond back to me and provide efficient, excellent results. I would work with her again!Response from the ownerThank you so much for your kind words about Ana and the rest of our team! Patricia WernerPatricia Werner ★★★★★ Ana was phenomenal. What a great asset to Tona Law!joseph tonettijoseph tonetti ★★★★★ I have known Lauren one of the personal injury paralegals at Tonalaw for almost 20 years, having employed her for over a decade she is a hard worker and loves doing what she does. She has passion and strong dedication her clients. I highly recommend Tona Law.Response from the ownerLauren is a valuable asset to the TonaLaw team. She is extremely passionate and dedicated to our clients. Thank you so much for your kind words and recommendation! Rigoberto LazoRigoberto Lazo ★★★★★ Ana is such a great asset to Tonalaw. She is a very hard worker and always dedicated to her clients. She is also very empathetic and kind hearted. Her goal is always to have 100% client satisfaction and she will make sure you have that. You are in great hands at Tonalaw!Response from the ownerThank you so much for taking the time to leave our firm a thoughtful review! Ana is truly dedicated to our clients and the work we do here at TonaLaw. We are grateful to have her on our team! Melissa RivasMelissa Rivas ★★★★★ Ana is wonderful! Always eager to please her client and does great work. Very happy she’s a part of Tona Law.Kristine ForteKristine Forte ★★★★★ I am so happy I used Tonalaw. I spoke with Lauren and Jada who are amazing. Any questions I had they answered and I felt the compassion and understanding they have for me. I highly recommend using tonalaw.Mona MichelMona Michel ★★★★★ sean2844sean2844 ★★★★★ I have known Lauren one of the paralegals at Tona Law and she is extremely dedicated to her profession. She is very helpful to her clients and an asset to the firm.sorivel gulottasorivel gulotta ★★★★★ Thank you Lauren for all of your help! You are always ready for any challenge and willing to answer any questions. Always professional, informative and kind. Will highly recommend!js_loader