A wrongful death action is different from other lawsuits, in that the person who has been harmed is not the person bringing the lawsuit. Rather, it is the surviving heirs, or immediate family members, of the deceased who are filing the lawsuit on his or her behalf. Due to the strict time limitations that most states' laws place on the filing of wrongful death lawsuits, as well as the complexity of calculating wrongful death settlement awards in some cases and states, it is essential to contact a wrongful death law office, or lawyer's office with experience in handling wrongful death claims, in order to get legal advice about your potential claim. If you seek legal counsel in a timely manner, then you can avoid the risk of weakening your claim and/or missing the deadline in which you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit, which can prohibit you from receiving any compensation whatsoever.