The list starts with Heimberg Barr, LLP. Alongside its long history in medical malpractice, it publishes a verdict about a fatal infection that doctors missed. Before calling, find out whether the firm takes cases about deaths involving medical care. Ask how the firm charges and who would take your file. For the medical negligence rules below, see the California law guide.
4.04 Google reviewsRated 4.0 out of 5 on Google from 4 reviews
Best for: Deaths involving missed diagnoses
After physicians failed to diagnose and treat a dangerous infection despite repeated visits, a man died; Heimberg Barr, LLP publishes an $800,000 verdict for that case. During a consultation, families can ask about that fatal missed-diagnosis case. Founded in 1993, the Los Angeles firm lists medical malpractice as well as catastrophic injury and other personal injury work.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.25 Google reviewsRated 4.2 out of 5 on Google from 5 reviews
Best for: Medical negligence death claims
Medical malpractice makes up the entire practice listed by Bostwick & Associates. Along with wrongful death work at its Los Angeles office, the firm's site lists cases involving sepsis and errors in the emergency room. The attorney the firm names is James S. Bostwick.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.82,044 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 2044 reviews
Best for: Families needing multilingual communication
Among the eight languages The Dominguez Firm lists are Spanish and Korean, with Portuguese also included. When families discuss a death, that may help them avoid relying entirely on English. Alongside its broader personal injury and employment work, the Los Angeles office handles cases involving wrongful death and medical malpractice.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Los Angeles can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
4.73,941 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 3941 reviews
Best for: Deaths involving treatment errors
A delayed C-section and severe brain injury were behind Morgan & Morgan's published medical result, a $37.8 million jury award from 2007. Although it reflects experience litigating medical negligence, that result concerns neither wrongful death nor a verdict in Los Angeles. Within the firm's broader practice, its site lists work involving wrongful death and medication errors.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.92,523 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 2523 reviews
Best for: General wrongful death representation
Although Wilshire Law Firm lists wrongful death as a practice area, there's no specific published case result for you to assess here. That leaves families with less information about how it handles deaths involving medical care. Personal injury and employment work make up the Los Angeles firm's broad practice.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
When you tell the lawyer what happened, explain when you first suspected the care was wrong. Under California's medical negligence deadline, it's three years from injury or one year from discovery, whichever comes first. For a death, ask a California lawyer how that rule applies.
Review the medical care
As you discuss which records the lawyer needs, include the hospital chart and any correspondence concerning the death. Before the firm agrees to pursue your claim, ask how it would assess the care and whether it needs a medical opinion.
Assess the claim and losses
Which losses you may claim is something the lawyer should explain. Although California's MICRA caps non-economic damages, it doesn't cap economic damages. When the judgment, award or settlement occurs, the non-economic limit then in force is the amount that applies.
Prepare and file the complaint
In California, suing a health care provider for negligence doesn't require a certificate of merit. Before claiming punitive damages, you need court permission. Along with explaining these rules, the lawyer can confirm which filing deadline applies in your circumstances.
Address evidence and resolution
Before proceeding, discuss how the attorney would present medical evidence and review any proposed settlement with your family. Among the firms' published results are settlements and verdicts. From those examples, you can't establish a timetable or predict how another claim will turn out.
Malpractice claims in Los Angeles: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in California
The clock startsOn the day of the injury
Time to start a claim3 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most3 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in California
Pain and sufferingCapped at $470,000
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkNo certificate of merit is required to sue a health care provider for negligence.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
According to every listed firm, it works on contingency, meaning the lawyer gets a share of any recovery but no attorney fee if the claim fails. Costs are a separate issue. Besides court fees, you may face expenses for medical records and medical opinions. From the firms' listed fee information, you can't tell who advances that money or who must pay it if the claim is unsuccessful. Before signing, ask about this. When you request the written fee agreement, ask how expenses would change the amount your family has left after a recovery. Although the consultation is free, later expenses aren't necessarily free.
A free consultation and contingency fees are offered by each of the nine listed firms, according to them.
What to bring to your first call
The treatment and death set out in a written timeline
When you first suspected the care was wrong, with the dates
Any available hospital charts, along with discharge records
Which hospitals and treating health care providers were involved, by name
The medical bills or receipts you have on hand
What the hospital or insurer sent you in letters or messages
Photos relevant to the care, with your notes about conversations
Questions to ask a lawyer
1When this treatment or diagnosis involved deaths, have you handled cases?
2For our family's case, which attorney would take responsibility?
3Before deciding whether to take the case, which records would you need?
4If you get medical opinions, how would that work and who pays?
5Given our circumstances, which deadline applies to filing?
6When calculating your contingency fee and case expenses, how does it work?
7If the claim fails, would we still owe case expenses?
8When we have questions, how would you respond and keep us informed?
Choosing a wrongful death lawyer in Los Angeles
What happened to your loved one is the starting point. Although Bostwick & Associates lists a practice devoted entirely to medical malpractice, several other firms on this list handle wrongful death within broader injury practices, with less focus on medical negligence. If you're concerned about hospital treatment, ask whether they've handled deaths involving that care, not just injury cases generally.
When you discuss the case, start by asking about a published result. While Heimberg Barr, LLP describes a verdict about a fatal missed infection, the outcomes other firms publish concern birth injuries or accidents. In a comparable case, what did the attorney actually do? What happened in past cases doesn't predict what can happen for your family.
Make the first conversation useful
When you explain the treatment, say when you first suspected something had gone wrong. To assess the statute of limitations, which dates does the lawyer need?
Before proceeding, ask who would review the hospital chart and whether the firm would get a medical opinion. Who decides whether the case gets accepted or declined?
Before choosing, get the name of the attorney who would take responsibility for your file. If a message goes unanswered, what should you do, and how will updates reach you?
Where would you meet? Because The Law Brothers' office information names Sacramento and Beverly Hills, you shouldn't assume your file would be handled in Los Angeles.
Free consultations and contingency fees are offered by every firm listed, according to each firm. Although you can discuss a possible claim without paying for the consultation, the conversation doesn't mean the firm has agreed to represent you. If you sign a contingency fee agreement, the lawyer gets a share of a recovery but no attorney fee if the claim fails. Separately, ask what happens with case expenses.
When reading reviews, look for problems that recur instead of relying on a star rating. Alongside positive feedback, several firms here have comments describing delayed replies or questions about fees. If someone presses you to sign before you've read the agreement or promises a particular recovery, pause. Especially for expenses, ask for explanations in writing. If you sign anything, keep a copy.
Questions people ask
Which Los Angeles firm has published a result involving a death from medical negligence?
After physicians failed to diagnose and treat a dangerous infection despite repeated visits, a man died; Heimberg Barr, LLP publishes an $800,000 verdict for that case. During a consultation, you can ask about it. That verdict tells you neither what another claim is worth nor whether your family would receive a similar result.
What filing deadline applies when a death involves medical care?
Under California's rule, a medical negligence claim must be filed within three years of injury or one year after discovery, whichever of those dates comes first. When the injury reasonably should have been discovered also counts as discovery. The longer period isn't something you should assume. When a death is involved, a California lawyer can explain how the rule applies to that death and your family's circumstances.
Can we speak to a lawyer without paying for the consultation?
Because each of the nine listed firms says it works on contingency, the attorney fee depends on a recovery; each also says it offers free consultations. What does the consultation cover? Before the firm can review the claim, find out whether it needs records from you. Even after that conversation, you shouldn't assume the firm has agreed to take your case.
Are damages capped in a California medical negligence case?
Only non-economic damages are capped under California's MICRA. Economic damages have no cap. When the judgment, award or settlement occurs, the limit then in force is the one that applies. If the death involved medical care, a California lawyer can explain how the rule affects it and which category each claimed loss belongs in. A published verdict isn't a way to estimate your family's claim.
Do we need a medical certificate before filing a lawsuit?
In California, you can sue a health care provider for negligence without getting a certificate of merit. To assess or present the care, though, your claim may still need medical opinions. Before that review, ask the attorney what's planned and who will pay for it. Before you can claim punitive damages, California Code of Civil Procedure section 425.13 requires you to get court permission.
Are the deadlines different for a child's medical negligence claim?
Within three years of the wrongful act, a child must file suit. If the child is under six, it's three years or the eighth birthday, whichever comes later, that sets the deadline. If your child died, this rule alone shouldn't settle your family's filing deadline in your mind. Which claim and deadline apply is a question for a California lawyer.
How long will a medical wrongful death claim take?
You can't establish a standard timetable from the firms' listed results. Before proceeding, ask the proposed attorney which records need review and what might slow or otherwise affect your claim. In several firms' reviews, clients mention delays or trouble communicating. When there's no new development to report, how will you get updates? Ask about that, too.
What should we do first if we think hospital care caused a loved one's death?
When recording the treatment dates, note when you first suspected something was wrong. Before asking a California lawyer to assess the deadline, gather the records you have and any hospital correspondence already in your hands. Even if your records aren't complete, you can have a free consultation. To evaluate the claim, what else does the firm need?
Should we choose the firm with the most Google reviews?
When there are many reviews, you may find it easier to spot recurring service problems or praise. Whether the firm has handled the same kind of death isn't something that count shows. With large review counts, The Dominguez Firm and Morgan & Morgan both have positive comments as well as negative ones. As you compare those comments with each firm's focus on medical negligence, ask which attorney would actually take responsibility for your file.
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