Traverse City, MI Wrongful Death Lawyer

You buried someone you love, and the world has not slowed down to let you grieve. Funeral bills, an empty seat at the table, a household income gone overnight, and calls from the at-fault driver’s insurance adjuster may already be coming in, asking questions you are not ready to answer. Michigan law gives your family three years to act, and that clock started the day your loved one died.

A Traverse City wrongful death lawyer at Matz Injury Law can carry the legal weight while you grieve. Our Michigan wrongful death attorneys handle fatal motor vehicle and other negligence-based claims under the Michigan Wrongful Death Act, from probate court appointments in Grand Traverse County to litigation in the 13th Circuit Court.

Why Choose Matz Injury Law for Wrongful Death Cases in Traverse City

Choosing a wrongful death lawyer is an important decision when your family is already carrying so much. Matz Injury Law helps surviving family members understand their rights, pursue a wrongful death claim under Michigan law, and move through the legal process with steady support. Our team handles the details of the case, including insurance communication, evidence review, and claim development, so your family can focus on grieving and moving forward. Throughout the process, we work to provide honest guidance and pursue the compensation your family may be entitled to after a preventable loss.

Representing Michigan Families for Decades

Matz Injury Law has served Michigan families since 1977. The firm was founded by Steven Matz, a University of Michigan graduate with deep ties to the state and the communities we serve. Over the years, our attorneys have handled cases in courts throughout Michigan and understand the procedures, expectations, and local factors that may affect how a wrongful death case progresses. Families turn to us because we bring both legal experience and a personal commitment to helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

More Than $300 Million Recovered for Clients

Our firm has recovered more than $300 million in settlements and verdicts for clients across Michigan. These results include cases involving serious injuries, life-changing losses, and families seeking financial stability after a devastating event. Every case is different, and past outcomes do not guarantee future results. However, our history reflects our commitment to holding negligent parties accountable and pursuing fair compensation for the people we represent.

Recognized Michigan Injury Attorneys

Wrongful death claims require preparation, attention to detail, and the ability to advocate effectively in and out of court. Steven and Jared Matz have earned recognition from respected legal organizations for their professional work, legal ability, and ethical standards. These distinctions include peer-reviewed ratings and statewide or national trial lawyer recognition, such as:

• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Rating for legal ability and ethical standards
• Super Lawyers recognition in Michigan
• The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 recognition in Michigan

Client Testimonials

“My family is grateful for Steve Matz’s professional handling of our case. Steve was very thorough, candid, responsive, and strategic in his approach throughout our legal proceedings. If ever in a situation again like my family has experienced over the past year, we would immediately retain Matz Injury Law to represent our interests. Thank you Steve.” — John P.

“My parents were involved in a fatal car accident, where we needed guidance dealing with the insurance company. A month after the accident the insurance agency had stopped addressing our calls and emails. Retaining Steve Matz and his team was the absolute best decision we made for my mom. He was professional from start to finish and we had a settlement quickly. Steve answered all of our calls and emails, and assured us that he would take care of our family during this time. If you are questioning whether seeking guidance is needed, don’t hesitate and reach out. Steve was very open about what he could do for our case, and how retaining his services could impact our timeline. We felt as though we were talking to a friend, not an attorney, who checked on us often. Thank you for all you have done for our family, especially my mom during this time. Your service and compassion deserves more than 5 stars!” — Sarah M.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Michigan

Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act, MCL 600.2922, only one person can file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of someone killed by negligence: the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. That authority does not belong to the surviving spouse, the parents, the adult children, or a sibling acting on their own. The personal representative is whoever the probate court appoints to administer the estate and pursue claims for the family.

The recovery from any settlement or verdict goes to the family. The statutory beneficiaries entitled to share may include:

• The surviving spouse
• The deceased’s children and descendants
• The deceased’s parents and grandparents
• The deceased’s siblings
• Children of the deceased’s spouse
• Persons who were financially dependent on the deceased

The personal representative does not keep the recovery. They distribute it according to the statute and any orders the probate court enters.

If the family has not yet asked the court to appoint a personal representative, we file that petition with the Grand Traverse County Probate Court as part of taking the case.

Damages Available in a Michigan Wrongful Death Case

Michigan wrongful death damages cover both the financial losses and the human losses that follow a fatal incident. The two sit side by side in any wrongful death calculation, and Michigan does not cap recoveries in standard cases. After a fatal motor vehicle crash, Michigan’s no-fault system also provides a separate set of survivor’s loss benefits that run alongside any third-party negligence claim.

Economic and Non-Economic Damages

Economic damages cover the financial losses the family suffers because of the death. They include:

• Final medical bills from the fatal incident
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Income that the deceased would have earned and contributed
• Household services the deceased performed, such as child care, home maintenance, and household help

Non-economic damages cover the losses that no one can put a number on without trying. Michigan recognizes loss of society and companionship for the surviving spouse, loss of guidance and counsel for minor children, and the conscious pain and suffering the deceased endured between injury and death.

Michigan does not allow punitive damages in wrongful death cases. It does allow exemplary damages where the at-fault party acted with reckless disregard for human life, which most often arises in cases involving a drunk or impaired driver.

Survivor’s Loss Benefits Under Michigan No-Fault

After a fatal motor vehicle crash, surviving family members can collect survivor’s loss benefits under Michigan’s no-fault system, separate from any negligence claim against the at-fault driver. These benefits replace the income the deceased would have brought into the household and reimburse funeral expenses between $1,750 and $5,000, depending on the personal injury protection coverage the deceased selected.

Michigan no-fault sets the order of priority for who pays these benefits:

• The deceased’s own auto policy pays first
• A resident relative’s policy pays next if the deceased had no policy
• The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan steps in if neither applies

We sort out the order before submitting anything because the wrong priority can stall benefits for months.

The Michigan Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations

Michigan gives families three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit, set by MCL 600.5805(2). When that window closes, the right to sue closes with it. Exceptions to the statute of limitations are narrow.

How We Handle Wrongful Death Cases for Grand Traverse County Families

The first step in any Grand Traverse County wrongful death lawyer engagement is opening the estate. We file the petition for the appointment of a personal representative with the Grand Traverse County Probate Court, so the claim has a proper plaintiff from day one. From there, our investigation takes these steps:

• Secure the police report
• Preserve the vehicle wreckage before any insurer disposes of it
• Locate eyewitnesses while their memories are fresh
• Retain accident reconstructionists when liability is contested
• Order complete medical and earnings records

We handle all communication with the at-fault carrier and any underinsured motorist carrier. We negotiate when the facts allow, file suit when they don’t, and build every wrongful death case as if it will go to trial.

Frequently Asked Questions About Traverse City Wrongful Death Cases

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Traverse City Wrongful Death Lawyer?

At Matz Injury Law, we offer free consultations, and our contingency fee is 22% of the final recovery rather than the 33 1/3% most Michigan injury firms charge. You pay no hourly rate, no upfront retainer, and no fee at all unless we recover for your family.

How Long Does a Michigan Wrongful Death Case Take?

While every case is different, many Michigan wrongful death cases resolve in 12 to 24 months through negotiation. Litigation can extend the timeline to two or three years. The pace depends on insurer cooperation, the timing of the personal representative appointment, records production, and whether the other side contests liability.

What If the At-Fault Driver Had No Insurance or Insufficient Coverage?

Your recovery may come from uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on the deceased’s own auto policy or a resident relative’s policy. The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan can serve as a fallback when no policy applies.

Can I Still File If My Loved One Was Partially at Fault?

Yes, in most cases. Michigan follows modified comparative fault. If your loved one’s share of the fault stays at 50% or below, your family can recover both economic and pain-and-suffering damages, with the court reducing the award in proportion to that share. A share above 50% cuts off pain-and-suffering damages, leaving only economic damages on the table.

Is There a Cap on Wrongful Death Damages in Michigan?

No. Michigan does not cap wrongful death damages in the cases we handle, including fatal car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian crashes and premises liability.

Contact Our Traverse City Wrongful Death Lawyers Today

If you lost a family member to negligence in Traverse City or anywhere in Northern Michigan, call our Traverse City wrongful death attorneys at 866-226-6833 or reach us through our online contact form. We can open the estate, put the insurer on notice, and preserve evidence while the window to act is still wide. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we recover for your family.