Nearest office in San Jose, CA45 E Julian StDirections

Lost a loved one in Oakland?Talk to a lawyer for free.

When someone else's carelessness causes a death, California law gives the family a claim. We'll explain your options plainly, whenever you're ready.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
  • Hablamos españolNative Spanish speakers. No confusion. No delays.
  • Available 24/7We'll meet you at your home or hospital.
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Call our San Jose office(408) 516-428324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

The Valero Law Group attorneys and staff together in the office
They are very helpful. They explain everything so I could understand.
Ruben A.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for our clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients, including the wrongful death case below.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.3MWrongful deathFor the family of a person killed through someone else's negligence.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

View all results

Here to protect your family's interests, not the insurance company's

Insurance companies have a team.Your family should have one too.

An insurance company may call your family with questions, or even an offer, while you're still making arrangements. Its adjusters work to keep the cost of a claim down. You don't have to take those calls alone.

Before your family signs anything, ask:

  1. Was the death caused by someone else's carelessness, such as a driver's?
  2. Did your loved one support the family, or care for its home or children?
  3. Would the settlement cover what your family has lost for years to come, not just today's bills?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. A first offer isn't always a fair one.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

Get my free case review
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Our nearest office

Wrongful death lawyersfor Oakland and the East Bay.

Our office is in San Jose, about 40 miles south on I‑880. We'll come to you.

We can meet your family at home, at a time that suits you, anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont, so you don't have to make the drive to San Jose. Or start with a phone call, whenever you're ready.

Other offices nearbyStocktonModestoSalinas

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every family,with patience and care.

After a loss, we take on the legal work with the same skill, attention and determination we bring to every client.

We gather the records, deal with the insurance companies and explain each step in plain words, so your family can focus on each other.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
I especially want to recognize Daisy and Myriam, who were incredibly helpful and supportive. They consistently took the time to explain each step clearly, answered all my questions promptly, and made what could have been a stressful experience feel smooth and manageable.
David R.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
Leticia R.… She assisted me in my case and was very professional.
Miroslava A.Google review
Very friendly people. They are courteous and kind.
Leonardo D.Google review

What a family can recoverafter a wrongful death in California.

No amount of money makes up for losing someone. What the law can do is recognize what your family has lost: the support your loved one gave, and their place in your lives.

Economic damages

What your family can count

  • The financial support they would have given
  • Gifts or benefits your family would have expected
  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • The value of the household help they gave

Non-economic damages

The loss that has no receipt

  • Their love and companionship
  • Their comfort, care and protection
  • Their affection and moral support
  • Their training and guidance
  • 2 yearsTo file a wrongful death lawsuit, generallyIn California, the two years usually run from the date of death (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1).
  • 6 monthsFor a claim against a public agencyIf a City of Oakland vehicle, an AC Transit bus, BART or a dangerous public road played a part, a written claim to that agency usually comes first, within six months of the death.
  • $12,818Toward funeral and burial costs, when a crime caused the deathIf a drunk or drugged driver, a hit-and-run or another crime caused the death, the state's Victim Compensation Board may help pay funeral and burial costs, up to $12,818. It pays after insurance and other sources, and an accident with no crime doesn't qualify.

After a loss in Oakland,what comes next.

The coroner, death certificates, the police report, help with costs and deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • The coroner's investigation
    In Alameda County, traffic and other accidental deaths are investigated by the Coroner's Bureau of the Sheriff's Office, at 2901 Peralta Oaks Court in East Oakland, (510) 382-3000. Families can ask for its report by email at coronerreports@acgov.org, and we can request it for you.
  • Quick offers are usually final
    An insurance company may call with an offer soon after a death. Accepting a settlement usually closes the claim for good, so talk to us before anyone in the family signs.
  • Help when a crime caused the death
    If a drunk or drugged driver or a hit-and-run caused the death, the Alameda County District Attorney's Victim Witness Assistance Division can help your family apply to the state's victim compensation fund, which may help pay funeral and burial costs. Its services are free, regardless of immigration status: 1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 802, Oakland, (510) 272-6180.
  • Death certificates
    Certified copies come from the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder, at 1106 Madison Street in Oakland, a few blocks from Lake Merritt BART, or its Dublin office. They cost $28 a copy, and orders by mail or online take two to three weeks. The funeral home can usually order them for you. If your loved one died in Berkeley, the City of Berkeley's vital records office issues recent certificates.
  • If it was a traffic collision
    On Oakland streets, the police report comes from OPD's Traffic Investigations Unit at the Eastmont Substation, 2651 73rd Avenue, (510) 777-8570. Fatal collision reports can't be bought online, only in person or by mail, and if you weren't involved in the collision, OPD asks for the death certificate with your request. On the freeways, it's the CHP's Oakland office, (510) 457-2875. We can request either report for your family.
  • Claims against public agencies
    Most wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years of the death. If a public vehicle or a dangerous road played a part, a written claim is usually due within six months, to the agency that runs it: AC Transit or BART for theirs, the City of Oakland for its streets and vehicles (its City Attorney takes claims by email or mail), Alameda County for its own, and the State (Caltrans) for the freeways and for International Boulevard east of High Street. We can prepare and file it for your family.
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsfrom families in Oakland.

Who can bring a wrongful death claim in California?
The person's spouse or registered domestic partner, their children, and the children of a child who has died. If there are no children or grandchildren, the relatives who would inherit under California law, which can include parents alongside a spouse. Some people who depended on the person can also bring one, such as a stepchild or a parent (Code of Civil Procedure §377.60). The family usually brings one case together, and the court divides any award among them.
What can a family recover? Does the law pay for our grief?
The law can't pay for grief itself: a jury is told not to award money for the family's grief or sorrow. What it does recognize is what the family lost: the support your loved one would have given, funeral and burial costs, the help they gave at home, and their love, companionship, comfort and guidance (California jury instructions). We'll explain what applies to your family, plainly and without pressure.
Do we have to arrange anything with the coroner?
Usually not directly. The funeral home your family chooses usually works with the Coroner's Bureau to release your loved one, and the Bureau takes questions about that at alamedacoroner@acgov.org. Its report can be requested by email at coronerreports@acgov.org, and we can do that for you.
The driver fled, or was drunk. Is there help with funeral costs?
There may be. When a crime caused the death, such as a hit-and-run, a drunk or drugged driver or vehicular manslaughter, California's Victim Compensation Board may help pay funeral and burial costs, up to $12,818, after insurance and other sources. The Alameda County DA's Victim Witness Assistance Division helps families apply, free: (510) 272-6180. A claim against the driver and their insurer is separate, and we can handle it.
How long does our family have to file?
A wrongful death lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the death. If a public agency may be responsible, such as the City of Oakland, Alameda County, AC Transit, BART or Caltrans, a written claim is generally due within six months. We can keep track of the deadlines for your family.
Do we need a probate case?
Not always. Besides the family's own claim, the claim your loved one had before they died, for example for medical bills and lost pay, passes to their estate. Without a probate case, a family member can often bring it as "successor in interest" by signing a sworn declaration with a certified copy of the death certificate attached (Code of Civil Procedure §377.32). In a case filed today, that claim doesn't include your loved one's pain and suffering: California allowed it only in cases filed from 2022 through 2025. If the estate does need a probate case, Alameda County takes probate filings at the Berkeley Courthouse.
Do you have an office in Oakland?
No. Our nearest office is in San Jose, at 45 E Julian St, about 40 miles south of downtown Oakland. Your family doesn't have to come in: call us 24/7 at (800) 985-9565 and we'll come to your home, anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont, at a time that suits you.
What does a wrongful death lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

Our easy 3-stepcase review process.

We make getting legal help simple.

  1. Free consultationCall us 24/7 or fill out our form. We'll review your case at no cost.
  2. Review your caseOur experienced attorneys investigate and evaluate your case to build the strongest claim possible.
  3. Your family's claimWe pursue what your family is owed, in negotiation or in court.
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Don't wait. There are legal deadlines.

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a wrongful death lawyer, whenever your family is ready.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

(408) 516-4283

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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