Yes, hiring a lawyer is often the most important step you can take in successfully pursuing a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death is a highly complex area of law. There are a number of procedural requirements that must be strictly followed before a case even gets before a jury. Additionally, it is often necessary to conduct an extensive pre-suit investigation into the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death. Traumatized family members who are still in the process of dealing with their own grief are usually not in the best position to do this.