Wrongful Death Lawyers Holding Negligent Parties Accountable for New York Families

Losing a loved one due to someone else's negligence or a defective product is devastating, emotionally, financially, and in every other way. While no amount of compensation can replace what you've lost, a wrongful death lawsuit can hold those responsible accountable and provide your family with the financial resources needed to move forward.

McCartney Stucky's Rye, NY office takes on complex wrongful death cases throughout the New York Metro area that most law firms simply can't, or won't, handle. These cases often involve catastrophic accidents, defective products, and corporate negligence, and they require significant resources, top-tier experts, and a trial team with proven courtroom results.

Trial Experience Where It Matters Most

Wrongful death cases are complex. They demand thorough investigation, expert testimony, and the ability to prove not only who was at fault but also the full scope of the loss, including the economic support, companionship, and future the deceased would have provided to surviving family members.

Founding partners Terry McCartney and Chris Stucky bring decades of trial experience and have recovered seven- and eight-figure verdicts and settlements in some of the most challenging wrongful death cases in the country. We prepare every claim as if it will go before a jury, ensuring maximum leverage in both settlement negotiations and at trial.

We've Won Cases Like Yours

Families considering a wrongful death lawsuit against a major manufacturer need to know the firm they hire has actually stood in front of a jury and won.

$22.3 Million — Verdict Against Honda. A rollover case that produced a record product liability verdict in Columbia County.

$4.3 Million — Verdict Against BMW. A defective airbag caused a plaintiff to lose an eye, after two weeks of trial and a unanimous jury verdict.

These are difficult cases other firms may shy away from. We took them, prepared them for trial, and won.

Cases We Take in New York City

Defective Products

Fatalities caused by unsafe vehicles, heavy trucks, machinery, or consumer products with dangerous design or manufacturing defects. Our defective truck wrongful death cases include post-collision fires, structural failures, and crashworthiness defects that turn survivable crashes into fatal ones.

Commercial Truck and Auto Collisions

Catastrophic crashes involving negligent drivers, unsafe trucking companies, or defective automotive systems. When a wrongful death involves both driver negligence and a manufacturer defect, we investigate all liable parties.

Wrongful Death Law in New York: What Families Need to Know

New York wrongful death claims are governed by EPTL 5-4.1, which gives the personal representative of the deceased's estate two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit. The claim is brought on behalf of the deceased's distributees, typically a spouse, children, or other close family members, and compensates for pecuniary losses including lost financial support, services, and parental guidance.

New York wrongful death claims do not compensate for grief or emotional suffering directly, but the full economic value of the loss, including future earnings, household contributions, and the value of parental care, can be substantial. Our Rye office handles these cases from the initial case evaluation through trial.