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Petaluma Wrongful Death Attorney

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Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

The loss of a family member in an accident caused by someone else's negligence is one of the most devastating circumstances a family can face. California's wrongful death statute provides a legal framework for eligible surviving family members to pursue compensation for the financial and personal losses that flow from the death — not for grief itself, which is not compensable, but for the concrete losses the family sustains. Attorney Michael Rehm represents surviving family members in wrongful death cases arising from accidents throughout Petaluma and Sonoma County on a contingency fee basis.

Standing to Sue

Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 limits wrongful death standing to a specific class of claimants: the decedent's surviving spouse or registered domestic partner; the decedent's children and the issue of deceased children; and — where there is no surviving issue — persons who would inherit from the decedent under California's intestacy laws. The statute also provides standing to the decedent's putative spouse, stepchildren, parents, and legal guardians if those individuals were financially dependent on the decedent at the time of death. Only those persons specifically identified in § 377.60 may pursue a wrongful death claim.

Recoverable Damages

Code of Civil Procedure § 377.61 directs that the wrongful death judgment be in an amount the jury determines to be fair and just compensation for the claimants' losses. Recoverable damages include the financial support the claimant would reasonably have expected to receive from the decedent; the value of household services, advice, counsel, and training the decedent would have provided; loss of love, companionship, comfort, affection, society, solace, and moral support; and funeral and burial expenses. The claimants' personal grief and sorrow are not compensable. The decedent's own pain, suffering, and pre-death losses belong to the estate's separate survivor action under Code of Civil Procedure § 377.30.

Petaluma Traffic Data

In 2023 (the most recent year for which data is currently available), the Office of Traffic Safety recorded 183 people killed or injured in Petaluma traffic crashes. Speed-related crashes accounted for 46 injury crashes — ranking Petaluma 14th of 103 comparable cities in speed-related crash frequency. Alcohol-involved victims totaled 27. Across Sonoma County, the UC Berkeley SafeTREC database shows an average of 37 traffic fatalities per year from 2021 through 2025. Fatal crashes on Highway 101, which passes directly through Petaluma, account for a meaningful share of those losses.

Filing Deadline

Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 provides a two-year statute of limitations for wrongful death claims, running from the date of death. For deaths caused by the conduct of a government entity, the Government Claims Act requires a written claim within six months of the date of death. Missing that deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit. Tolling doctrines may apply depending on the facts — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your situation.

Related Pages

Attorney Michael Rehm handles wrongful death cases throughout Petaluma and Sonoma County on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 for a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.

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Phone: (619) 787-3456 Areas Served: San Diego, Vista, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, El Centro, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, Torrance, Pasadena, El Monte, Downey, West Covina, Norwalk, Burbank, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Temecula, Bakersfield, Clovis, and everywhere in between.

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Northern California Office & Areas Served

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