Wrongful Death Attorney in White Plains, NY

Have you lost a loved one due to the actions of another? With over 35 years of experience with wrongful death cases, Curan & Ahlers is ready to fight for you. Curan & Ahlers handles personal injury-related cases in White Plains, Westchester County, and throughout New York. If you’re looking for experienced White Plains wrongful death attorneys, give us a call today.

White Plains Wrongful Death Lawyers

Losing a loved one is devastating under any circumstances. When that loss was caused by another person’s negligence, recklessness, or wrongful conduct, families are often left with grief, unanswered questions, and sudden financial pressure. A fatal accident can leave behind medical bills, funeral expenses, lost household income, and the painful reality that the death may have been preventable.

At Curan & Ahlers, our White Plains wrongful death lawyers help families throughout Westchester County understand their legal rights after a fatal accident. We know that no legal claim can replace the person you lost. However, a wrongful death lawsuit can help your family seek accountability, financial stability, and justice after a preventable tragedy.

Our firm represents families in White Plains and nearby communities after fatal car accidents, pedestrian accidents, workplace incidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, unsafe property conditions, nursing home negligence, defective products, and other serious events. If you are looking for wrongful death attorneys in White Plains, Curan & Ahlers is here to help you understand your next steps.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A wrongful death claim may be filed when a person dies because of another party’s negligent, wrongful, or reckless conduct. In New York, the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate may bring a wrongful death action when the deceased person is survived by distributees. New York law generally requires wrongful death actions to be commenced within two years of the date of death, although families should speak with an attorney as soon as possible because case-specific issues can affect deadlines.

Wrongful death cases are civil claims. This means they are separate from any criminal investigation or prosecution that may also occur after a fatal accident. A family may still have the right to pursue a civil claim even if criminal charges are not filed.

Wrongful Death Cases in White Plains and Westchester County

White Plains is one of Westchester County’s busiest legal, medical, commercial, and transportation hubs. Fatal accidents may happen on major roadways, in apartment buildings, at construction sites, in hospitals, at nursing facilities, in parking lots, on sidewalks, or on commercial properties throughout the city and surrounding communities.

Local context matters in these cases. New York’s Traffic Safety Statistical Repository includes crash data by county and municipality, including reportable crashes, persons killed or injured, roadway-user role, age, crash factors, and other categories that may help evaluate motor vehicle accident patterns in Westchester County and White Plains. The repository’s current available crash data reflects a snapshot as of February 5, 2026.

For families, that data only tells part of the story. A fatal accident claim often requires reviewing police reports, medical records, surveillance footage, 911 records, witness statements, inspection reports, vehicle data, workplace documents, and other evidence tied to the specific incident. Curan & Ahlers works to uncover what happened, who was responsible, and how the loss has affected the surviving family.

Common Causes of Wrongful Death Claims

Wrongful death claims can arise from many different types of preventable accidents. In White Plains and throughout Westchester County, common causes may include:

Car Accidents
Fatal crashes may involve speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, failure to yield, unsafe turns, reckless driving, or dangerous roadway conditions. These cases may involve drivers, vehicle owners, employers, rideshare companies, or other responsible parties.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
White Plains has busy intersections, commuter traffic, commercial areas, and walkable downtown corridors. When drivers fail to watch for pedestrians or cyclists, the results can be fatal.

Truck Accidents
Commercial truck crashes can cause catastrophic injuries because of the size and weight of the vehicle involved. Liability may involve the driver, trucking company, maintenance provider, cargo loader, or another party.

Construction and Workplace Accidents
Fatal workplace accidents may involve falls, heavy machinery, falling objects, unsafe worksite conditions, electrocution, or contractor negligence. These claims may require a detailed investigation into workplace safety practices and third-party liability.

Medical Malpractice
A wrongful death may occur when a doctor, hospital, emergency department, nursing staff, or medical provider fails to diagnose, treat, monitor, or respond to a serious condition. Families may have a claim when medical negligence caused or contributed to the death.

Premises Liability Accidents
Unsafe buildings, negligent security, dangerous stairways, falls, fires, icy sidewalks, and poorly maintained properties can all lead to fatal injuries. Property owners and managers may be held responsible when they fail to fix or warn about dangerous conditions.

Defective Products
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers may be liable when defective vehicles, machinery, medical devices, appliances, tools, or consumer products cause a fatal injury.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in New York?

In New York, a wrongful death claim is generally filed by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate. This person may be named in a will or appointed by the court. While the representative files the lawsuit, the claim is brought for the benefit of surviving family members and distributees, which may include a spouse, children, parents, or other eligible relatives depending on the circumstances.

This process can be confusing for grieving families, especially when estate issues are involved. A wrongful death attorney can help explain who may have the right to bring the claim, what documents may be needed, and how the legal process works.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

A wrongful death claim may help surviving family members recover compensation for the financial losses caused by the death. New York law allows recovery for “fair and just compensation” for pecuniary injuries resulting from the death, along with certain related expenses.

Depending on the case, compensation may include:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical expenses related to the final injury or illness
• Lost income and financial support
• Loss of benefits
• Loss of services the deceased provided
• Loss of inheritance
• Certain estate-related damages
• Other financial losses connected to the death

Every case is different. The value of a claim may depend on the deceased person’s age, health, income, work history, family role, life expectancy, and the financial support they provided.

Speak With a White Plains Wrongful Death Lawyer Today

If your loved one died because of a preventable accident in White Plains, Westchester County, or anywhere in New York, you do not have to handle the legal process alone. Curan & Ahlers can review what happened, explain your family’s rights, and help you understand whether you may have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit.

Our team can also help families evaluate related claims involving medical malpractice, premises liability, construction accidents, and other serious injury matters when they contributed to a fatal outcome.

Contact Curan & Ahlers today to schedule a free case review. There is no fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

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