Orlando Wrongful Death Attorney

Orlando Wrongful Death Lawyer — Justice and Security for Your Family

Why Orlando Families Choose HOV Law

• HOV Law is a local, downtown Orlando firm headquartered at 135 W Central Blvd, Suite 1150 — across from the Orange County Courthouse, not a billboard operation routing your call to an out-of-state intake center. Your case is handled personally by our attorneys.
• We Get Florida's Wrongful Death Act Right—Many firms (and most online guides) wrongly tell families that the spouse or children "file the claim." In Florida, only the estate's personal representative can file. Getting this right from day one — including the probate appointment — is the difference between a claim that moves forward and one that stalls.
• Trial-Ready From Day One—We prepare every wrongful death case as if it is going to trial, which is exactly what forces insurers and corporate defendants to make serious offers in high-value cases.
• The Right Experts—Wrongful death value turns on proof. We retain accident reconstructionists, medical experts, forensic economists, and life-care planners to establish liability and the full lifetime value of your family's loss.
• Track Record — More than $40 million recovered across 500+ cases, a 5-star aggregate rating from 293 Google reviews, and recognition in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers. No upfront fees, and no fee unless we win. Learn more on our team page and at our Learn Center.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Florida?

Who Counts as a "Survivor" Under Florida Law (§ 768.18)

• Florida Statute § 768.18 defines exactly who qualifies as a "survivor" entitled to recover in a wrongful death case. The category matters because it controls who shares in the recovery and what each person can claim:
• Surviving Spouse—The husband or wife of the deceased at the time of death.
• Children—All of the deceased's children, including adopted children. Note: Florida's wrongful death statute defines a "minor child" as a child under 25 for certain non-economic damages — broader than the usual age of majority of 18.
• Parents—The mother and father of the deceased (especially significant when the person who died was a child).
• Dependent Blood Relatives and Adoptive Siblings—Other blood relatives and adoptive brothers or sisters who were partly or wholly dependent on the deceased for support or services.
• Who is generally NOT a statutory survivor—Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, unadopted stepchildren, unmarried partners, and fiancés are typically excluded. If your family situation is unusual, we will tell you honestly how the statute applies to you.

Damages Available to Orlando Wrongful Death Families (§ 768.21)

• Florida Statute § 768.21 spells out what each survivor—and the estate — may recover. Different survivors are entitled to different categories of damages, which is why identifying every survivor correctly matters so much:
• Surviving Spouse—Loss of the deceased's companionship and protection, and the spouse's own mental pain and suffering from the date of injury.
• Children—Loss of parental companionship, instruction, and guidance, plus mental pain and suffering. (Minor children always recover these; adult children may recover them when there is no surviving spouse.)
• Parents—Mental pain and suffering for the loss of a child (all parents of a deceased minor child; parents of a deceased adult child when there is no other survivor).
• Lost Support and Services—Every survivor may recover the value of the support and services the deceased provided, from the date of injury into the future, reduced to present value.
• Medical and Funeral Expenses—Recoverable by whoever paid them (a survivor or the estate).
• Estate's Losses—The estate may recover lost earnings of the deceased from injury to death, lost net accumulations (what the deceased would likely have saved and left to the estate), and medical and funeral expenses paid by the estate.
• There is no statutory cap on these compensatory damages in an ordinary negligence case, and in cases of egregious misconduct, punitive damages may also be available.

The Medical Malpractice Limitation Families Need to Know

Common Causes of Wrongful Death in Orlando

• Wrongful death claims arise from many forms of negligence. The cases our Orlando attorneys handle most often include:
• Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes — Deadly collisions on I-4 (ranked the deadliest highway in America), the 408, Colonial Drive, Orange Blossom Trail, and the Turnpike, caused by speeding, distracted, drowsy, or impaired drivers. See our car accident and motorcycle accident pages.
• Truck and Commercial Vehicle Fatalities — When an 80,000-pound semi takes a life, the claim involves federal FMCSA rules, multiple defendants, and high-limit commercial insurance. See our dedicated Orlando fatal truck accident lawyer page.
• Medical Negligence — Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, medication and anesthesia mistakes, birth injuries, and failure to treat. See our medical malpractice page.
• Nursing Home and Elder Neglect — Falls, bedsores, dehydration, medication errors, and abuse in Orange County facilities. See our nursing home abuse page.
• Drunk Driving Deaths — Fatal DUI crashes, which often support punitive damages. See our drunk driving accident page.
• Workplace and Construction Fatalities—Falls, equipment failures, electrocutions, and toxic exposure on Central Florida job sites.
• Defective Products and Dangerous Drugs—Fatalities caused by faulty vehicles, products, medical devices, and medications.
• Premises Liability and Negligent Security—Fatal falls, drownings, and shootings or assaults enabled by inadequate security at apartments, hotels, and businesses.

Wrongful Death vs. a Criminal Case — and the Survival Action

Comparative Fault in Orlando Wrongful Death Cases

How Long Your Family Has to File — Florida's Deadline

How Orlando Wrongful Death Settlements Are Valued

• There is no single "average" wrongful death settlement—value depends on the specific losses Florida law allows your family to recover. The biggest drivers of value include:
• The Deceased's Lost Earnings and Support—Age, occupation, income, and work-life expectancy drive the lost-support and net-accumulation figures, calculated by forensic economists.
• The Survivors and Their Relationship—Who survives (spouse, minor vs. adult children, dependent parents) determines which non-economic damages — companionship, guidance, mental pain and suffering — are recoverable.
• The Strength of Liability—Clear, well-documented fault commands far higher value than a disputed-liability case where the defense can argue comparative fault.
• Available Insurance and Defendants—The more responsible parties and policies we identify (driver, employer, carrier, property owner, manufacturer), the more coverage is available to pay the claim.
• Egregiousness—Drunk driving, gross negligence, or a corporate defendant's reckless conduct can support punitive damages on top of compensatory damages.
• We build each case to maximize every one of these factors. Many Orlando wrongful death cases resolve in the six-and seven-figure range — but only when liability and damages are proven with the right evidence and experts.

What to Do After a Wrongful Death in Orlando

• Contact HOV Law as Soon as You Are Able—Time is critical: evidence must be preserved, witnesses interviewed, and deadlines met. We offer free, confidential, no-pressure consultations and can come to you.
• Preserve Everything—Keep accident reports, medical records, bills, insurance policies, and any correspondence from the other side. Do not discard your loved one's vehicle, devices, or belongings related to the incident — they may be evidence.
• Do Not Accept or Sign Anything From an Insurer—Insurers sometimes approach grieving families quickly with offers designed to look generous while paying a fraction of the claim's value. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement without talking to an attorney.
• Document the Financial Impact—Keep records of funeral and burial costs, pre-death medical bills, and the deceased's income and contributions to the family.
• Let Your Legal Team Handle the Rest—Once you retain HOV Law, you do not have to speak with investigators, adjusters, or opposing counsel. We handle all communication while your family focuses on healing.

Orlando Communities We Serve

• HOV Law represents wrongful death families throughout the entire Orlando metro area—Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties — including:
• Downtown Orlando and the Central Business District—minutes from our office and the Orange County Courthouse.
• Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, and the I-Drive Corridor—fast-growing and tourism-heavy areas with major hospitals and dense traffic.
• Winter Park, Maitland, and Baldwin Park—established neighborhoods near downtown.
• Avalon Park, Waterford Lakes, and the UCF Area—east Orange County along SR 408 and Alafaya Trail.
• Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary, and Sanford—Seminole County along the I-4 corridor.
• Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Horizon West, and Windermere—fast-growing northwest and southwest Orange County.
• Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Celebration—Osceola County along US 192, the Turnpike, and SR 417.

Our Downtown Orlando Office

HOV Law's Awards, Recognition & Credentials