As soon as possible. Surviving spouses and family members may hesitate to contact a lawyer after a loved one’s wrongful death. It is natural to feel overwhelmed in the days and even weeks after a tragic loss. A family might also feel awkward contacting a lawyer about suing for damages, as if it amounts to seeking to profit from their loved one’s death. Experienced Hallandale Beach wrongful death attorneys understand and appreciate those difficult, conflicting emotions. But grieving spouses and family members of victims of a wrongful death deserve to be compensated for their losses and will need the compensation to handle the inevitable expenses that follow a wrongful death, such as the funeral, which can easily cost around $10,000. Contact an attorney who can help as soon as possible, because the law limits your time to sue for wrongful death in Hallandale Beach and a family may need to take quick action to preserve and enforce their rights. A law called the statute of limitations sets a general two-year time limit on suing for wrongful death in most cases in Florida, and that deadline may shrink to a matter of months in certain circumstances, such as if the at-fault party is a government entity. Failure to file by the applicable deadline usually results in the loss of rights to recover any compensation. In addition, the sooner a spouse or family member contacts an experienced wrongful death lawyer, the greater the chances the lawyer can collect critical evidence and witness testimony to help obtain a positive outcome.