Nearest office in Oxnard, CA1000 Town Center Dr, Suite 300Directions

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

When someone else's carelessness causes a death, California law gives the family a claim. We'll explain it 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 Oxnard office(805) 262-840924/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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

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They were very kind to my husband and me.
Katherin R.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.

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.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

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

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

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

Insurers bring adjusters, investigators and lawyers to every serious claim, and they value claims to control cost. An adjuster may call your family with questions or an offer while you're still making arrangements. 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. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

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 Ventura families.

Our office is in Oxnard, about 8 miles south on the 101. We'll come to you.

We can meet your family at home, at a time that suits you, anywhere from Ojai to Fillmore. Or start with a phone call, whenever you're ready.

Other offices nearbyWoodland HillsPalmdaleBakersfield

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
From the first call, not only did they inform me, but they ensured I received the medical care I needed, and they never stopped fighting for me and my family.
Titilayo A.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
They took care of everything for me.
Sin C.Google review
I highly recommend them.
ShadowGoogle 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 services they provided

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, for a child
  • 2 claimsYour family's, and your loved one's ownBesides the family's wrongful death claim, the claim your loved one had before they died passes to their estate. Their personal representative can bring it, for losses such as medical bills and lost earnings before death.
  • One caseThe family brings its claim togetherA family's wrongful death claims are ordinarily brought in one case, and the judge decides how an award is divided among the family.
  • 2 yearsTo file a wrongful death lawsuitA lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the death. If a public agency, such as the City of Ventura, Ventura County or Caltrans, may be responsible, a written claim is generally due within six months.

After a loss in Ventura,what comes next.

The Medical Examiner, records, insurance calls and claims, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • The Medical Examiner's report
    The Ventura County Medical Examiner, at 3100 Foothill Road in Ventura, investigates every death related to an injury, including traffic deaths. Families can request the report by calling (805) 641-4401 or by email; walk-ins aren't accepted. It's usually ready four to six months after the death, and one copy is free to the legal next of kin.
  • Death certificates
    The Medical Examiner doesn't issue death certificates. They come from the funeral home your family chooses, or from the County's Office of Vital Records, (805) 981-5172. If the cause is listed as "pending", the office can't record it yet, often because further tests are under way.
  • Your loved one's belongings
    Belongings the Medical Examiner took at the scene are released with your loved one to the funeral home your family chooses, for delivery to the family.
  • If it was a traffic accident
    The report is usually with the Ventura Police for an accident on city streets, or the CHP's Ventura office on the freeways. Not sure which? Ventura police's 24-hour non-emergency line, (805) 650-8010, or the CHP, (805) 662-2640, can tell you. We can also request it for your family.
  • 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.
  • Claims against public agencies
    If a city or county vehicle, a Gold Coast Transit bus or the road itself played a part, a written claim comes before any lawsuit. Claims against the City of Ventura are filed in hard copy with the City Clerk, 501 Poli Street, Room 204; County claims are mailed or delivered to the Clerk of the Board at 800 South Victoria Avenue. 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 Ventura.

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 people who would inherit under California law, such as a spouse or partner and, in some cases, parents. Some people who depended on the person can also bring one, such as a stepchild or a parent, and so can a minor who lived in the home for the 180 days before the death and relied on the person for at least half their support (CCP §377.60). The family usually brings one case together.
We lost our child. Can our family bring a claim?
We're so sorry. In some cases, parents can bring a claim: as the child's heirs when the child left no children of their own, or when they depended on the child. California's jury instructions recognize what the loss cost the family, such as funeral and burial expenses, and the loss of the child's love, companionship, comfort, care and moral support.
Can the family recover for our loved one's pain and suffering?
Not in a case filed today. The claim your loved one had before they died passes to their estate (CCP §377.30), but for a case filed since January 1, 2026, California law doesn't allow the estate to recover for their pain and suffering before death. A short-lived exception covered cases filed from 2022 through 2025. The estate can still recover losses such as medical bills and lost earnings before death (§377.34).
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 Ventura, Ventura County or Caltrans, a written claim is generally due within six months. We can keep track of the deadlines for your family.
Will the Medical Examiner be involved?
Yes, if the death was related to an injury, including a traffic death: the Ventura County Medical Examiner investigates all of them. That doesn't always mean an autopsy; the Medical Examiner may decide an external examination is enough.
Should we talk to the insurance company?
No one in the family is required to give a recorded statement to the insurance company of the person responsible, and what's said can be used to value the claim. Talk to us before anyone gives one or signs anything.
Do you have an office in Ventura?
No. Our nearest office is in Oxnard, at 1000 Town Center Dr, about 8 miles south of downtown Ventura on the 101. 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 Ojai to Fillmore, 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 your family. 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 Ventura wrongful death lawyer, whenever you're 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.

(805) 262-8409

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

  • Available 24/7, including weekends
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