When a loved one passes away unexpectedly due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions, you may feel angry, confused, heartbroken, and helpless. Along with insurmountable grief, you are also suddenly hit with many financial obligations in the form of funeral expenses, debt, and more.
According to CC Art. 2315.2, certain family members of a deceased individual may file wrongful death claims.
This can allow them to recover damages emanating from the loved one’s death. In Louisiana, the first priority for pursuing such an action lies with the surviving spouse and/or child.
If there is no surviving spouse or child, the right to bring a wrongful death action then defaults to the following family members, listed in order of priority:
- Surviving parents
- Surviving brothers and sisters
- Surviving grandparents
The statute also provides that the right to bring a wrongful death case can be inherited.
However, inheriting that right does not impact the statute of limitations under CC Art. 2315.1, which states that any such action must be brought within one year of the deceased’s death.





