DANIEL B REINFELD, PA
Hollywood Wrongful Death Law Firm
Serving Clients Throughout South Florida Since 1999
Hollywood Wrongful Death Lawyer
Over 25 Years of Experience • Former Insurance Defense Attorney
Jury Trial-Tested • Millions Recovered for Clients
Daniel B Reinfeld, PA is a Hollywood wrongful death law firm representing families who have lost a loved one because of negligence in Broward County and throughout South Florida. We handle claims arising from fatal car and truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, falls, and unsafe property conditions, seeking compensation for eligible survivors and the estate. Call (954) 923-6110 for a free consultation. No attorney’s fee or case costs unless we win.
Hollywood Wrongful Death Attorney With Proven Trial Experience
$1.6 Million Motor-Vehicle Jury Verdict | 25+ Years in Practice | Former Insurance-Defense Attorney
Losing a loved one unexpectedly can leave your family grieving while trying to make decisions you never imagined facing. Alongside the absence of someone you loved and depended on, there may be funeral arrangements, financial worries, and questions about how their death could have been prevented. If someone else’s negligence caused your loss, you deserve clear answers and compassionate guidance as you consider a wrongful death claim. At Daniel B Reinfeld, PA, we represent families in Hollywood, Broward County, and throughout South Florida. Building a wrongful death claim means establishing what caused the death and documenting what your family has lost—from financial support and everyday care to companionship and parental guidance. We investigate responsibility, preserve evidence, and identify available insurance coverage while explaining the next steps for eligible survivors and the estate.
Personal Representation From Hollywood Wrongful Death Attorney Dan Reinfeld
After a death, families often need answers before they have all the paperwork. Who can speak for the estate? What should be preserved? Should an insurance release be signed? Dan reviews those questions with you and explains what needs attention now. Dan has practiced law since 1999 and previously represented insurance companies in civil litigation. That background informs his review of disputed responsibility, insurance coverage, and the evidence needed to support a claim. From investigation through settlement negotiations or trial, you work directly with the attorney responsible for your case.
Verifiable personal injury trial experience
Dan obtained a $1.6 million unanimous jury verdict in a 2024 Orange County pedestrian injury case. TopVerdict lists the result among Florida’s Top 100 Verdicts of 2024. It was a personal injury verdict, not a wrongful death recovery. The firm’s verdicts and settlements also include a $2 million motor-vehicle injury settlement. These results illustrate Dan’s litigation experience. They do not establish the value of another case or guarantee a similar outcome. Learn more about Daniel B Reinfeld’s background.
What qualifies as wrongful death in Florida
A wrongful death claim seeks compensation when legally actionable conduct causes a person’s death. Under Florida Statutes section 768.19, that conduct can include negligence, a wrongful act, or certain breaches of contract or warranty. The underlying event must have supported a claim by the injured person had they survived.
A fatal collision, dangerous property condition, or other preventable incident may qualify. A death alone does not establish liability. The investigation must connect the responsible party’s conduct to the injury and death.
The Florida Wrongful Death Act governs who may recover and what losses can be claimed. A civil wrongful death lawsuit can proceed without a criminal conviction; criminal prosecution and civil compensation serve different purposes.
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida
The deceased person’s personal representative brings the lawsuit for the benefit of the eligible survivors and the estate. A spouse, child, or parent does not automatically file an individual wrongful death lawsuit merely because of that relationship. Section 768.20 establishes the personal representative’s role.
The representative is appointed through the probate process. Someone named in a will may be nominated to serve, but being named in the will is not itself a court appointment. A claim review can begin before the appointment is completed.
Eligible survivors and the estate
Florida’s definition of survivors includes a spouse, children, and parents. Other blood relatives and adoptive brothers or sisters may qualify when partly or wholly dependent on the deceased for support or services. The facts of the relationship and the available damage categories still matter.
Under section 768.18, “minor children” means children under 25 for purposes of the Act. Applying an age-18 cutoff can overlook a child’s rights. Family status, dependency, and parentage should be reviewed individually.
Starting a claim when there is no will or open estate
A family can seek advice even if the deceased left no will or few assets. We can identify the appointment issue and coordinate the wrongful death claim with the necessary probate work. The Broward Clerk’s probate information explains the local administration process. The proper probate county depends on the circumstances; it is not necessarily where the fatal incident occurred.
What wrongful death damages may be recovered
Florida wrongful death compensation depends on the qualifying survivors, their losses, and the estate’s statutory rights. Not every family member can recover every category. Section 768.21 separates survivor damages from estate damages.
Claimant or loss | Potential recovery subject to statutory requirements |
|---|---|
Medical and funeral expenses | Recovery by the proper survivor or estate depends on payment and legal responsibility for the expense.
|
Estate | Certain earnings lost between injury and death, qualifying net accumulations, and eligible medical or funeral expenses. These are subject to statutory conditions and avoidance of duplicate recovery. |
Parents | Mental pain and suffering for the death of a minor child; for an adult child, additional restrictions apply, including whether there are other survivors.
|
Children | Qualifying lost parental companionship, instruction, guidance, and mental pain and suffering. Age and whether a spouse survives affect eligibility.
|
Surviving spouse | Loss of companionship and protection, and mental pain and suffering.
|
Eligible survivors
| Lost support and services, including qualifying financial contributions and household assistance.
|
Medical negligence has additional survivor restrictions
Section 768.21(8) restricts specified noneconomic damages for adult children and parents of an adult child when the claim arises from medical negligence. The rule does not eliminate every possible claim or damage category. The cause of death, family relationships, and applicable law require individual review.
A family member who did not earn wages still provided value
A retired person, a stay-at-home parent, or a family caregiver may have provided substantial household services and support. A claim should examine the actual contributions and relationships rather than assume that wages measure the entire loss. Records and testimony can help explain those contributions.
How much is a wrongful death settlement worth
There is no reliable average wrongful death settlement that determines what your family’s case should resolve for. An evaluation must consider legal responsibility, the connection between the incident and death, eligible survivor damages, financial proof, insurance coverage, and collectability.
We examine the evidence supporting each claimed loss. Depending on the case, this may involve an economist, medical experts, employment records, or testimony about the deceased person’s role in the family. A policy limit or an insurer’s first offer does not by itself establish the full value of the claim.
Florida wrongful death statute of limitations
Florida generally requires a wrongful death lawsuit to be filed within two years of death under section 95.11. Special rules can affect the deadline, including medical malpractice timing provisions, claims involving government entities, and specified intentional acts resulting in death.
Do not assume an open police investigation, ongoing insurance negotiations, or the absence of a personal representative extends the filing period. The deadline needs to be evaluated promptly for the particular claim. Evidence may disappear well before the time to sue expires.
Call (954) 923-6110 to discuss the applicable deadlines and the evidence that may need to be preserved.
Fatal accident claims in Hollywood and Broward County
The type of incident determines which parties, records, insurance policies, and legal rules need investigation. Our wrongful death practice includes evaluating fatal motor-vehicle and dangerous-property claims and identifying related legal issues.
Fatal car and motorcycle accidents
A fatal car accident can involve distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, an unsafe turn, or a disputed right of way. The investigation may examine the driver, vehicle ownership, employment relationships, and available coverage. Our Hollywood car accident page explains the broader vehicle-claim process.
Truck and commercial vehicle deaths
A fatal truck crash may require investigation of the carrier, vehicle maintenance, driver scheduling, and other companies involved. Vehicle data, dispatch records, electronic logs, and camera footage can be important. Read more about Hollywood truck accident claims.
Fatal pedestrian and bicycle accidents
Crosswalk visibility, signal timing, turning movements, impact location, and driver attention may help establish how a pedestrian or cyclist was struck. Witness accounts and nearby video can be critical when the person killed cannot describe the collision. Learn about our pedestrian accident representation.
Dangerous property and negligent security
A fatal fall, drowning, or violent incident may require examination of property maintenance, pool barriers, prior incidents, security measures, and control of the premises. A property owner’s responsibility depends on the duty owed and the facts connecting a breach to the death. Our premises liability page explains related claims.
Workplace deaths and other claims requiring separate analysis
A work-related death may involve workers’ compensation death benefits and a possible claim against a responsible third party. Employer immunity must be evaluated before assuming the employer can be sued. Our firm also handles Florida workers’ compensation claims.
Deaths involving medical care, nursing facilities, defective products, boats, or government property may follow different procedures and legal rules. Tell us how and where the death occurred so we can assess the appropriate claim and representation.
How we investigate a Hollywood wrongful death case
For a negligence-based claim, the evidence must establish a duty of care, a breach of that duty, causation, and legally recoverable damages. We identify potential defendants and investigate their roles rather than assume the first person named in an incident report is the only responsible party.
Medical causation and the family’s losses
When death follows a period of treatment, the claim must connect the fatal outcome to the incident. Medical records and qualified expert review may be necessary, especially if an insurer attributes the death to another condition.
We also identify all potential survivors, document financial contributions and services, and investigate liability insurance, commercial policies, and any applicable uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Coverage depends on the policy and facts; it should not be assumed.
Local evidence and records
After a collision on I-95, Federal Highway, Hollywood Boulevard, Sheridan Street, or another local road, relevant evidence may include vehicle data, scene photographs, witness accounts, and nearby business cameras. The precise location and responding agency determine where records should be requested.
A Downtown Hollywood or Hollywood Beach property incident may involve hotel or condominium surveillance, maintenance records, incident reports, and information about the property owner and operator. These sources must be identified promptly because video and electronic records may be overwritten.
Depending on the incident, other records may come from Hollywood Police, Florida Highway Patrol, emergency responders, the Broward County Medical Examiner, or treating facilities such as Memorial Regional Hospital. Access to particular records depends on authorization and applicable law.
What to do after a suspected wrongful death
•Preserve photographs, messages, witness information, report numbers, and correspondence from insurers. Keep original files when possible.
•Identify where vehicles, equipment, or other physical evidence are being held before repairs, disposal, or destructive testing occurs.
•Keep medical bills, funeral invoices, payment records, and employment or financial records already available to you.
•Obtain legal advice before signing a release, accepting a final settlement, or giving a recorded statement. An agreement can affect claims beyond the immediate payment offered.
•Tell the attorney about every spouse, child, parent, and potentially dependent relative, along with any will or probate proceeding.
You do not need to assemble a complete file before calling. A first consultation can identify missing records and urgent preservation steps.
What happens during a wrongful death claim
We begin by reviewing the incident, family relationships, deadlines, and available information. If we accept the case, Dan directs the investigation, addresses the personal representative’s role with the necessary probate work, and develops the liability and damages evidence.
The claim may resolve through a supported settlement demand and negotiations. When litigation is appropriate, the process can involve written discovery, depositions, expert work, mediation, and trial. A settlement requires attention to allocation among the survivors and estate, liens, fees, costs, and any necessary court approval. The time required depends on the issues and the court’s schedule.
Hollywood Wrongful Death Attorney Frequently Asked Questions
Do we have to wait for criminal charges or an autopsy report
No criminal conviction is required to evaluate a civil claim. A lawyer can begin identifying witnesses, preserving evidence, and assessing deadlines while official investigations continue. The available evidence and access restrictions determine what can be obtained and when.
Can adult children recover after a parent dies
Sometimes. Adult children are included in the statutory definition of survivors, but the available damages depend on the family and type of claim. Whether a spouse survives matters for certain losses, and medical-negligence claims have additional restrictions. Children under 25 fall within the Act’s special definition of minor children.
What if the insurance company blames our loved one
An insurer’s allegation does not decide fault. In negligence cases governed by Florida’s modified comparative-fault rule, fault attributable to the deceased can reduce recovery, and fault greater than 50 percent can bar recovery. The statutory threshold does not apply to medical-negligence wrongful death actions. The applicable rule and evidence require review. See section 768.81.
Is a wrongful death case the same as a survival action
No. Under section 768.20, when the injury causes death, the personal injury action does not survive and a pending action abates. Florida’s wrongful death framework then governs the claim. If death is unrelated to the injury, a different survival analysis may apply.
How is a wrongful death settlement divided
Allocation depends on the survivors’ and estate’s legally recoverable losses; there is no universal equal-share formula. While an action is pending, section 768.25 requires court approval of a settlement affecting a minor or incompetent survivor, or one to which a survivor objects as to amount or allocation. Other approval requirements may also apply.
How much does a wrongful death lawyer cost
The consultation is free. We handle accepted wrongful death cases on a contingency-fee basis, with no attorney’s fee or case costs unless we win. The written agreement explains the fee and treatment of expenses before representation begins.
Can you help if our family lives outside Florida
Yes. We can discuss a Hollywood or Broward County fatal accident by telephone or video. The location of the incident, the parties, and probate circumstances determine where proceedings belong; living elsewhere does not by itself prevent a consultation.
Speak Directly With Hollywood Wrongful Death Lawyer Dan Reinfeld
You do not need every report or all the answers before reaching out. Speak with Dan about your loved one’s death, your family’s concerns, and the next steps for a wrongful death claim. Free consultations are available by telephone or video, and home visits can be arranged when appropriate. 📞 CALL Dan: (954) 923-6110
Office Hours & 24/7 Live Phone Answering
Daniel B Reinfeld, PA answers calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Call (954) 923-6110 for a free consultation.
Hollywood Personal Injury Law Office
Daniel B Reinfeld, PA Center Court Building 2450 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 706 Hollywood, FL 33020
Just east of Hollywood City Hall Circle.
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Saturday–Sunday: Closed
Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Consultations (Appointment Only)
110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
In-person consultations are available by prior appointment. Please contact our firm to schedule and confirm your appointment before visiting.
T: (954) 923-6110 E: info@reinfeldlaw.com
Free Consultations · No Fee Unless We Win
Directions to Our Hollywood, FL Law Firm
From I-95: Take the Hollywood Boulevard exit and head east toward downtown Hollywood. Continue through Hollywood City Hall Circle. Our office is on the right, immediately after the circle.
From Young Circle and Downtown Hollywood: Head west on Hollywood Boulevard for approximately seven blocks. Our office is on the left, near South 25th Avenue, just before Hollywood City Hall Circle.
From Hollywood Beach: Take Hollywood Boulevard west from A1A through Young Circle and downtown Hollywood, then continue approximately seven blocks. Our office is on the left, shortly before Hollywood City Hall Circle.
Parking at Our Hollywood Law Office
Visitor parking is available behind the Center Court Building.
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Written and reviewed by Daniel B. Reinfeld, Esq. | Last updated November 7, 2026