Pasadena Wrongful Death Lawyer

Few cases carry more weight than the loss of a loved one, and families across Pasadena turn to a wrongful death claim not only for financial stability but for answers. The roads, intersections, and properties of the area each carry their own risks, and when negligence takes a life, the law allows surviving family members to hold the responsible party accountable.

MMG Law Firm handles these sensitive cases from our nearby Glendale office. We understand the local geography and courts, and we work to give grieving families room to grieve while we carry the legal burden.

Why Fatal Incidents Happen Around Pasadena

Pasadena sits at the crossroads of several major freeways, and speed, congestion, and difficult interchanges contribute to fatal collisions:

• High-speed crashes on the 210 and 134 freeways, where merging traffic and sudden slowdowns are common
• The historic 110 Arroyo Seco Parkway, whose vintage curves and short merge lanes were never built for modern traffic
• Surface-street collisions and left-turn crashes at busy intersections feeding the freeways
• Pedestrian and cyclist strikes along crowded commercial corridors and near event venues
• Fatal incidents caused by dangerous, neglected, or poorly maintained property conditions

Whatever the cause, the early hours and days after a death are when crucial evidence, from skid marks to vehicle data to witness memory, is most at risk of disappearing.

Who Can File and the Law That Controls

California limits who may bring a wrongful death action. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60, standing generally belongs to the surviving spouse or domestic partner, the children, and, if there are none, other heirs who would inherit under state law, along with certain dependents. Determining the proper plaintiffs is one of the first and most important steps.

When a public entity may be responsible, for example a dangerous roadway condition or a government vehicle, Government Code section 911.2 typically requires a written claim to the entity within six months of the death. That deadline arrives long before the lawsuit window and cannot be ignored.

Types of Claims We Handle

• Fatal motor vehicle and freeway collisions
• Pedestrian and bicyclist deaths
• Fatal incidents caused by dangerous property conditions
• Deaths involving commercial vehicles or rideshare drivers

Compensation Available to Surviving Family

California wrongful death law allows recovery of both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages can include the financial support the deceased would have provided, funeral and burial costs, and the value of household services. Non-economic damages can include the loss of the loved one's love, companionship, comfort, and guidance. Because the case may proceed under pure comparative negligence, a recovery is reduced by any share of fault attributed to the deceased rather than eliminated. We do not put a number on a life or promise a result; we pursue the full measure the law allows.

Deadlines, Courts, and How MMG Law Firm Helps

A wrongful death claim generally must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and the six-month government claim deadline under Government Code section 911.2 applies where a public entity is involved. Pasadena cases move through the Los Angeles County Superior Court; with the historic Pasadena courthouse closed, they are typically heard at the Alhambra Courthouse or the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown.

From our Glendale office about ten miles away, MMG Law Firm investigates the cause of the loss, works with reconstruction and medical experts, and confirms who holds the right to sue. We offer free, private consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win.