If someone dies as the result of someone else's negligence, for instance in a car accident, then there may be a wrongful death claim. In Florida a wrongful death claim is governed by a statute that tells us the claim must be brought by the estate of the person who died, a personal representative has to be appointed on behalf of the estate to bring the claim, and also defines who the survivors are and what are the damages that they are entitled to. A wrongful death claim also has a shorter time period than a personal injury claim in which a lawsuit must be filed. So it is very important to get a lawyer on your side early to protect the estate and the survivors.