Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Have Been Recovered for Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Victims
In Harrisburg, the very seat of Pennsylvania’s government, we are surrounded by the institutions of law and justice. The statutes created here are designed to protect citizens and provide a clear path to accountability. When a person’s life is taken by the preventable negligence of another, it is the ultimate failure of public safety. A wrongful death is a profound injustice that the legal system itself is designed to answer.
If your family is grappling with such a loss, the wrongful death lawyers at The Killino Firm are here to ensure the laws of Pennsylvania are applied to their fullest extent to protect your rights. Our mission is to navigate the complexities of the justice system on your behalf to secure your family’s future.
The term “wrongful death” is a specific legal concept defined by the very laws passed here in Harrisburg. It is the civil justice system’s formal recognition that a life was cut short due to another’s “wrongful act or neglect.” It is not a criminal charge, which seeks to punish, but a civil action that seeks to restore financial balance and provide security for the family left behind.
To ensure an orderly process, Pennsylvania law gives the authority to file a wrongful death lawsuit to one person: the personal representative. This person has a “fiduciary duty,” the highest legal duty of trust, to act in the best interests of the estate and all its beneficiaries (the spouse, children, and parents). This is the law’s way of creating a structured, fair process. Our lawyers guide the chosen “executor” (from a will) or the court-appointed “administrator” through their duties with the Dauphin County Register of Wills and others
Pennsylvania law provides a two-part remedy to address the full scope of a family’s loss. A wrongful death lawyer pursues both a Survival Action to compensate for the victim’s conscious pain and suffering, and a Wrongful Death Claim to compensate the family for their future financial losses and the loss of companionship. This comprehensive approach is the law’s attempt to provide as complete a measure of justice as possible.
When a life-threatening injury occurs in Central Pennsylvania, the fight for survival is often waged at one of our region’s outstanding trauma centers.
Grief can be a lonely road, but you do not have to travel it by yourself. The Harrisburg community has wonderful resources to help your family find connection and healing.
Key Takeaways for a Harrisburg Wrongful Death Claim
A deposition is a formal, out-of-court interview where the other side’s lawyers will ask you questions under oath. It is a normal part of the “discovery” or evidence-gathering phase of a lawsuit. Yes, key family members will almost certainly have a deposition. It can be an emotional day, but you will not go in unprepared. Our team will spend hours with you beforehand, going over the likely questions so you know exactly what to expect.
This is a central challenge in a Survival Action, and it requires a skillful and compassionate investigation. We prove pain and suffering through several means: the testimony of family members and first responders who were with them, detailed medical records that document their injuries and the treatments they endured, and the powerful testimony of medical experts who can explain to a jury the level of pain associated with those specific injuries.
An apology can be a meaningful human gesture, but it does not pay for a funeral, it does not replace a lifetime of lost income, and it does not provide for your family’s future security. A wrongful death lawsuit is not about punishment; it is the only legal mechanism available to ensure your family receives the full financial resources you need and are entitled to under the law. It is about security, not retribution.
Yes, absolutely. Whether or not your loved one had a will has no impact on your family’s right to file a wrongful death claim. The only difference is the process for appointing the “personal representative.” Without a will, we will help a close family member petition the Dauphin County Register of Wills to be named the “administrator” of the estate, giving them the legal authority to file the lawsuit.
The most important first step is to contact our firm for a free and completely confidential consultation. Do not speak with any insurance companies. The two-year deadline in Pennsylvania is absolute, and evidence can begin to disappear within days of an accident. A consultation allows you to get immediate answers, understand your rights, and have a team of our experienced professionals begin the fight for justice on your behalf.
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