Losing a loved one because of someone else’s choices leaves bills, questions, and a heavy sense that the system is stacked against you. You need a strategic legal team that can move quickly, protect the estate, and pursue every dollar the law allows—without adding stress to your family.
We treat wrongful death and estate recovery like a high-stakes strategy matter—because it is. Our attorneys think several steps ahead to preserve evidence, position insurance claims, and coordinate the estate’s interests with the family’s needs. We’re local to Middlesex County, understand New Jersey’s wrongful death and survival laws, and handle the litigation and negotiations so you can focus on your family.
A wrongful death claim arises when a person’s death is caused by another party’s negligence or wrongful act—such as a crash, unsafe property, medical error, dangerous product, or workplace incident. In New Jersey, the executor/administrator files the claim for the benefit of the heirs who depended on the decedent.
Wrongful Death claim: Seeks compensation for the financial losses to the survivors (lost income and benefits the decedent would have provided, loss of household services, reasonable funeral expenses).
Survival Action (estate claim): Brought by the estate to recover the decedent’s own damages before death (medical bills, lost wages between injury and death, and conscious pain and suffering). Any recovery becomes part of the estate and is distributed under the will or by law.
Both actions often run together. We build and time them in a coordinated way to maximize total recovery.
General statute of limitations: Often two years from the date of death.
Claims involving public entities: A notice of claim may be due in as little as 90 days.
Because deadlines can vary with the facts, contact us immediately so we can preserve your rights.
Free strategy session: We clarify goals, beneficiaries, and immediate next steps for both the estate and the civil claims.
Estate coordination: Help appoint or work with the executor/administrator; align probate tasks with litigation needs.
Evidence preservation: Rapid scene and vehicle inspections, black-box/downloads, product retention letters, and medical record captures.
Insurance and lien management: Identify all policies (auto, commercial, excess/umbrella), manage hospital and insurer liens, and structure claims to increase net recovery.
Economic and medical experts: Quantify lifetime earnings, benefits, services, and pre-death suffering with credible experts.
Negotiation and litigation: Aggressive settlement posture backed by trial-ready filings if the defense won’t pay full value.
Compassionate communication: Regular, plain-English updates so no one is left guessing.
Consultations are free, and you pay no attorney’s fee unless we win.
Do not discuss the loss with insurance adjusters before speaking with counsel.
Secure relevant items (vehicles, defective products, work equipment, clothing, digital photos/videos, medications).
List financial impacts (lost income, dependent needs, funeral costs, childcare, household services).
Identify the estate representative (executor named in a will or an administrator the court can appoint).
Call ASK Law Firm LLC right away to protect deadlines and evidence.
The executor or administrator files on behalf of eligible beneficiaries (typically spouse, children, and other financial dependents). We help you get the right representative in place quickly.
Generally, pecuniary (financial) losses: lost earnings and benefits the decedent would have provided, the market value of household services, and reasonable funeral expenses. Emotional grief is handled through other avenues only in limited circumstances; we’ll explain all available claims for your situation.
It seeks damages the decedent personally suffered before death—medical bills, lost wages between injury and death, and conscious pain and suffering. Any recovery goes to the estate and is distributed under the will or intestacy.
Often yes. New Jersey’s comparative negligence rules may still allow recovery so long as the decedent’s responsibility does not exceed the defendants’. Any award may be reduced by the decedent’s percentage of fault.
Timelines vary with complexity, the number of defendants, insurance coverage, and the court’s schedule. From day one, we set a litigation plan and push the defense to move—without sacrificing full value.
Not always. Many cases resolve through negotiation or mediation once we’ve documented full damages. We prepare every case as if it will be tried; that leverage helps maximize settlements.
No fee unless we win. Our contingency fee comes from the recovery. We advance case costs and explain them up front so there are no surprises.
Wrongful death proceeds are typically allocated among statutory beneficiaries based on their financial dependence. Survival proceeds pass through the estate. We guide you through court approvals and structured solutions when appropriate.
Special rules apply, including a notice of claim deadline that can be as short as 90 days. Contact us immediately so we can file the required notices.
Strategy. Like a chess match, we plan several moves ahead—coordinating probate with litigation, anticipating insurer defenses, and positioning expert evidence early to increase settlement value and trial readiness.
Case evaluations grounded in facts, records, and expert input.
Insurance claims pursued across all available policies, including underinsured/umbrella coverage.
Compensation maximization by combining wrongful death and survival claims, addressing liens, and planning distributions.
Trial-ready advocacy that keeps pressure on defendants from the first notice to the final verdict or settlement.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
Middlesex County Office (near Dunellen)
Aspen Corporate Park II
1460 U.S. Highway 9 North, Suite 301
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Telephone: (862) ASK-FIRM
Telephone: (732) 494-3600
E-mail: info@asklawfirm.com
Bergen County Office
15 Warren St, Suite 20
Hackensack, NJ 07601
(201) 354-4999
E-mail: info@asklawfirm.com
New York
11 Broadway, Suite 615
New York, NY 10004
(212) 202-6130
E-mail: info@asklawfirm.com
Pennsylvania
4050 Skyron Drive, Suite A14
Doylestown, PA 18902
