- Last Updated: October 2026
Wrongful Death Attorney Serving New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey
Lost a family member because of a preventable act in New York, Connecticut, or New Jersey? Contact Eddy & Associates for a free wrongful death consultation.
Elmhurst, NY (212) 459-1800 · Westport, CT (203) 341-9808
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE. This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines vary. Do not send confidential or time-sensitive information.
Wrongful Death Representation
A wrongful death claim may arise when negligence, recklessness, or another wrongful act causes death. Cases can follow vehicle crashes, pedestrian or bicycle collisions, motorcycle crashes, construction accidents, unsafe property conditions, dog attacks, or nursing home abuse and neglect.
Who Brings a Wrongful Death Claim
How New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey Treat Damages Differently
New York
Connecticut
The executor or administrator brings the action on behalf of the estate and may seek just damages plus qualifying expenses. A surviving spouse may have a separate loss-of-consortium claim joined with the wrongful death case. Connecticut also preserves qualifying claims in favor of the estate.
What to Do After a Preventable Death
Preserve police, incident, medical, and facility reports, photographs, video, messages, and witnesses.
Keep funeral, medical, employment, tax, benefits, and household-service records.
Avoid releases or detailed recorded statements before understanding the claim.
Determine whether an executor or administrator has been appointed.
Contact an attorney promptly when a public entity may be involved.
How Eddy & Associates Helps
Free consultation and immediate deadline review.
Estate and claim review, with probate coordination when needed.
Investigation and collection of records, witnesses, financial information, insurance, and corporate records.
Liability and damages analysis.
Negotiation, litigation, and trial preparation. The family decides whether to accept a settlement.
Compensation That May Be Available
Medical, nursing, funeral, burial, or cremation expenses permitted by law.
Lost financial support, household services, and other pecuniary losses.
Parental guidance and services where recognized by New York law.
Conscious pain and suffering through an estate or survival claim.
A surviving spouse's Connecticut loss-of-consortium claim when requirements are met.
Other legally authorized damages, interest, or punitive damages in limited cases.
New Jersey
A New Jersey wrongful death action is generally brought by an administrator ad prosequendum or another personal representative of the estate, not directly by family members. New Jersey law distinguishes the wrongful death claim, which addresses the financial loss to survivors, from the survival claim, which addresses what the person experienced before death.
New Jersey wrongful death damages are traditionally focused on economic loss to survivors. That framing differs from states that allow broader recovery for grief and loss of companionship, and it makes proof of financial dependency, services, and support central to the case.
Filing deadlines apply and exceptions exist for deaths caused by certain crimes. Claims involving a public entity carry separate notice requirements. Speak with an attorney about the deadline that applies to a specific case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit?
A court-appointed personal representative, executor, or administrator generally brings the estate’s claim.
How are New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey damages different?
New York focuses on pecuniary injuries. Connecticut uses a different just-damages framework and separately allows qualifying spousal consortium.
What is the difference between wrongful death and a survival claim?
Wrongful death addresses losses resulting from death. A survival claim preserves qualifying claims that belonged to the deceased person before death.
What does it cost to hire Eddy & Associates?
The consultation is free. Cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, so no attorney fees are due unless compensation is recovered.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE. This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines vary. Do not send confidential or time-sensitive information.
IMPORTANT. New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey each impose filing deadlines measured from the date of death, and other outside limits and public-entity notice requirements may apply. Do not rely on a general website deadline for a specific case.