Appendix 8: Wrongful Death Laws

To read what your state’s wrongful death law actually says, find your state below and follow the hyperlinks.

Remember: don’t feel as if you have to hire a lawyer just to understand your state’s law. While it may be a little wordy, you should be able to grasp what it means for bringing a wrongful death case in your state.

Laws and links change from time to time. Here we endeavor to have the most up to date legal information and working links.

Please notify us if a link is no longer working or if you become aware of a change of law before we know about it. By working together we can help all victims!

Alabama

• Ala. Code Section 6-5-410

Alaska

• Alaska Stat. AS 09.55.580

Arizona

• Ari. Rev. Section 12-611, 12-612, 12-613

Arkansas

• Ark. Code Section 16-62-102

California

• Cal. Code of Civ. Proc. Section 377.60, 377.61

Colorado

• Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 13-21-201, 13-21-202 (2021)

Connecticut

• Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 52-555

Delaware

• Del. Code Title 10 Section 3724

District of Columbia

• DC Code Section 16-2701, 16-2703

Florida

• Fla. Section 768.16-768.26

Georgia

• Ga. Code Title 51 Torts Section 51-4-2

Hawaii

• Hawaii Rev. Stat. Div. 4 Section 663-3

Idaho

• Idaho Stat. Title 5 Section 5-311

Illinois

• Ill. Stat. Chapter 740, Section 180

Indiana

• Indiana Code Section 34-23-1-1

Iowa

• Iowa Code Title XV Section 633.336

Kansas

• Kan. Stat. Chapter 60 Section 60-1901

Kentucky

• Kent. Revised Statutes Title XXXVI Section 411.130

Louisiana

• La. Civil Code Tit. V, Art. 2315.2

Maine

• Maine Rev. Stat. Title 18-C Section 2-807

Maryland

• Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 3-904

Massachusetts

• Mass. Gen. Laws Part III Ch. 229, Section 2

Michigan

• Michigan Comp. Laws, Chapter 600 Section 600.2922

Minnesota

• Minn. Stat. Section 573.02

Mississippi

• Miss. Code Title 11 Section 11-7-13

Missouri

• Missouri Rev. Stat. Title XXXVI Section 537.080

Montana

• Mont. Title 27 Section 27-1-513

Nebraska

• Neb. Rev. Stat. Chapter 30 Section 30-809

Nevada

• Nev. Rev. Stat. Title 3 Section 41.085

New Hampshire

• N.H. Rev. Stat. Title LVI Section 556:12

New Jersey

• N.J. Wrongful Death Act

New Mexico

• N.M. Stat. Section 41-2-1

New York

• N.Y. Cons. Laws, Estates, Powers and Trusts Law Section 5-4.1

North Carolina

• N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 28A-18-2

North Dakota

• N.D. Cent. Code Section 32-21-01

Ohio

• Ohio Rev. Code Title XXI Section 2125.01

Oklahoma

• Okla. Stat. Section 12-1053

Oregon

• Ore. Rev. Stat. Section 30.020

Pennsylvania

• Penn. Stat. Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure Section 8301

Rhode Island

• R.I. Gen. Laws Section 10-7-1

South Carolina

• S.C. Code of Laws Section 15-51-10

South Dakota

• S.D. Cod. Laws Section 21-5-5

Tennessee

• Tenn. Code Section 20-5-106

Texas

• Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Section 71.00

Utah

• Utah Code Section 78B-3-106

Vermont

• Vt. Stat. Title 14 Section 1491

Virginia

• Va. Code Section 8.01-50

Washington

• Wash. Rev. Code Section 4.20.010

West Virginia

• W.V. Code Section 55-7-5

Wisconsin

• Wisc. Statutes Section 895.04

Wyoming

• Wyo. Statutes Section 1-38-101

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