A crash on Route 1, a workplace accident near a major redevelopment area like WestEnd Alexandria, a medical mistake at a local hospital, or a violent act in the city can leave a family facing grief, unanswered questions, and sudden financial pressure. When someone’s life is taken because of careless or wrongful conduct, an Alexandria wrongful death lawyer can help your family understand whether you may have a claim.
Regan Zambri Long has recovered over $1 billion for personal injury victims across Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland. Behind those results is almost 200 years of combined experience and a team recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in America. All six of our partners are named among the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in the nation, giving families experienced advocates when the loss is devastating and the legal questions feel overwhelming.
If you have lost a loved one due to negligence in Alexandria, contact Regan Zambri Long today. We’re available 24/7, and one of our attorneys will personally reach out for a free consultation. You also won’t have to worry about costs at this difficult time, as there’s no fee for our services unless we win your case.
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No amount of financial compensation can replace the loved one you’ve lost in a wrongful death incident in Alexandria, Virginia. And no dollar amount can adequately reprimand someone for their fatally negligent choices and actions. But even though compensation can’t make things right, it will help relieve the financial burden you and your family are likely to experience as you honor your lost loved one and figure out how to do life without them.
The Alexandria, VA personal injury lawyers at Regan Zambri Long are experienced with wrongful death claims in Alexandria, Virginia. We will approach your case with compassion and gentle persistence. We will pursue justice on your behalf until the liable party is held accountable for the negligent actions that caused the wrongful death of your loved one, whether accountability comes through a settlement or court trial.
You can meet with a qualified wrongful death attorney at Regan Zambri Long for a free consultation and case evaluation to understand your options during this difficult time and to see how our attorneys will help you and your family move forward.
According to § 8.01-50 of the Virginia Code, a wrongful death is one caused by “the wrongful act, neglect, or default” of someone else. It is considered a wrongful death if the victim, had they survived, would have been able to file a personal injury claim for the accident or incident.
Many kinds of incidents can be the cause of wrongful death, including:
If your loved one was the victim of a violent crime that resulted in their wrongful death, you can still pursue a lawsuit even if the perpetrator is being prosecuted in criminal court. They are two separate legal processes that do not bar the other from proceeding. A wrongful death lawyer from Regan Zambri Long will meet with you for a free case evaluation to determine if your deceased loved one was the victim of a wrongful death.
Either negligence or intentional actions cause wrongful death incidents. Regardless, surviving family members are entitled to reasonable compensation to help ease the burden caused by losing their loved one’s financial support and other tangible or intangible contributions. These losses can include the income, care, services, protection, guidance, and companionship the person would have provided if their life had not been taken. The goal is not to put a price on a life, but to recognize the practical and emotional losses the family has been forced to carry.
The deceased person’s family is also entitled to punitive damages in some circumstances where the cause goes beyond simple negligence into willful and wanton negligence, complete disregard for others, or intentional malice.
Some of the most common causes of wrongful death cases include vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and violent crime. Though not all of these kinds of accidents and incidents result in wrongful death, if your loved one has died as a result of one, you should consult with an attorney.
Some of the most common causes of wrongful death cases include vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, and violent crime. Though not all of these kinds of accidents and incidents result in wrongful death, if your loved one has died as a result of one, you should consult with an attorney.
In the last five years, the city of Alexandria has had 23 fatal crashes, according to data collected through the city’s Vision Zero dashboard. Fatal vehicle accidents can involve personal vehicles, work vehicles, and commercial trucks. Additionally, pedestrian and bicycle accidents can be wrongful death cases, too.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ National Practitioner Data Bank, from 2022 – 2025, there were 5,307 adverse action reports and 672 payment reports in Virginia. If a person dies during or after a medical malpractice case, and the malpractice is what caused the death, the suit may be changed to a wrongful death case, allowing for economic and non-economic damages to be collected. Where the malpractice was more than simple negligence, you and your family may also recover punitive damages.
Between October 2023 and September 2024, the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Program investigated 31 occupational fatalities. These incidents can involve fatal falls, vehicle crashes, construction accidents, unsafe equipment, or dangerous worksite conditions. Depending on the facts, a workplace death may involve workers’ compensation benefits, a wrongful death claim against a third party, or both.
In 2024, there were 477 homicides in Virginia. The Virginia State Police also reported that in 2024, there were 16,853 violent crimes involving 19,480 individual victims. Though not every violent crime will be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit, if such an accident is responsible for the death of your loved one, you should consult with an experienced attorney knowledgeable in Virginia law. The attorneys at Regan Zambri Long will meet with you for a no-obligation free consultation to evaluate your case.
Virginia law only allows the executor or personal representative of the victim’s estate to file a wrongful death case, as opposed to other states that allow the victim’s surviving spouse, children, or family members to file a claim directly. If your deceased loved one did not name an executor in their will, the circuit court will appoint a qualified personal representative to administer the estate and bring a wrongful death lawsuit when appropriate. Wrongful death cases are always brought on behalf of the deceased person’s surviving family members or beneficiaries.
If the executor or personal representative is not a beneficiary of the deceased person, they will seek to have the surviving family members awarded damages in the wrongful death claim.
Compensation goes first to the surviving spouse, children, and grandchildren. If the deceased person didn’t leave behind these family members, other beneficiaries could include members of the same household who depended on the deceased person for financial support or surviving parents or siblings of the deceased person. Finally, if a wrongful death victim had none of the above beneficiaries, compensation will go to another surviving family member or another relative.
A wrongful death claim is many people’s worst nightmare. Our law firm understands that filing a lawsuit or claim can be the last thing on your mind, even if you are experiencing a financial burden related to your loss.
Our Alexandria wrongful death lawyers will do everything in their power to shoulder the legal burden and give you the space you need to grieve. With decades of experience in wrongful death suits, our Northern Virginia attorneys pursue justice on your behalf with exceptional compassion and gentleness. We won’t add to your burden but will fight to help you recover some peace.
Our legal team has recovered millions of dollars for the surviving family members of wrongful death victims, including $4 million for the family of a construction foreman who was struck and killed by a truck that did not have an operable backup alarm. The case is one of the largest wrongful death settlements in Virginia.
This result is part of a much broader record of wrongful death advocacy for families facing devastating loss. Our results also include:
Our Northern Virginia wrongful death attorneys are recognized as top-tier lawyers. All our attorneys are currently named as being among the Best Lawyers in the District of Columbia for Plaintiff Personal Injury Litigation, and seven of our attorneys were recognized as Washington, DC Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in 2025.They handle every case with compassion and dedication to the victim’s family. Taking legal action to recover compensation can be overwhelming for the surviving spouse and children of a wrongful death victim. Our experienced attorneys know Virginia law and will fight for your best interests.
No amount of financial compensation can make up for your loved one’s death. But a Virginia wrongful death suit can be the first step toward closure for you and your family. When you hire Regan Zambri Long wrongful death attorneys to represent you, you hire a law firm committed to compassion and justice. We don’t collect any legal fees until we’ve reached a settlement or verdict in your favor. If we do not recover compensation for your family, we will waive our legal fees entirely. Schedule your free consultation today online or by calling 202-980-3405.
In a successful wrongful death claim, the liable party pays the surviving family for specific financial losses associated with the death of their loved one. These can include:
If your loved one was the victim of a crime or otherwise willful or wanton negligence, the court may also award your family punitive damages. This payment does not compensate for any specific losses but instead serves as a punishment for the liable party and helps deter others from the same behaviors.
Except in medical malpractice wrongful death claims, Virginia does not put a limit or cap on the value of damages that can be claimed in a wrongful death case. Your Alexandria wrongful death attorney will help you calculate the value of your case.
Like other personal injury claims, wrongful death claims require proving negligence. The liable party had a duty of care to behave in a certain way, that the duty of care was breached, that the breach caused the wrongful death and that the death caused quantifiable damages to the surviving family members.
An investigation by your experienced Alexandria wrongful death lawyer will gather evidence and proof against the liable party or parties. Liability could belong to:
Whether your claim is against one party or multiple parties, the wrongful death attorneys at Regan Zambri Long will bring the appropriate legal action against every liable party and recover the compensation you and your family deserve.
The first step in filing a wrongful death claim in Alexandria is to know the statute of limitations: Virginia allows two years from the date of the death for a wrongful death claim to be brought forward. Missing this window will most likely result in the case being dismissed, regardless of the evidence and facts.
If you are not the executor or personal representative, you will need to get in touch with that person to discuss filing a lawsuit. If you are the executor, you will want to consult with an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Alexandria to begin filing your case.
Your experienced attorney will guide you through the legal process of the wrongful death suit, pursuing compensation to financially support you during this difficult time. In many wrongful death cases, a settlement is ideal. A settlement is often a faster legal process than taking a lawsuit to court. But if your case must go to court, your wrongful death lawyer from Regan Zambri Long will argue your case so you are awarded damages and recover compensation for the death of your loved one.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.