In Virginia, an action for wrongful death is a creature of statute and may be found in the Code of Virginia, § 8.01-50, et seq. (1950, as amended). This Virginia law defines the statutory beneficiaries of the decedents as well as the categories of damages available in Virginia for the wrongful death of an individual. Wrongful death actions must be initiated by a "personal representative" of the deceased (i.e., a family member who has qualified at the Clerk of the Court's office), within two years of the death. For more information about wrongful death law in Virginia, contact Barbara Williams, P.C. today.