Massachusetts law gives families three years to file a wrongful death claim. The clock starts ticking the day a loved one dies.
Most people do not know this. They are planning funerals. They are comforting children. They are trying to pay bills.
A wrongful death lawyer in Boston handles the legal side. Families get room to grieve. The attorney manages the paperwork and insurance companies.
A successful claim pays for funeral costs and medical bills. It covers lost income. It compensates for the loss of companionship.
Picking the right Boston wrongful death law firm makes all the difference. Here are five firms with proven records in Massachusetts.
1. Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers
Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers has recovered over two hundred million dollars for clients across Massachusetts. Their record includes a wrongful death settlement of four hundred fifty-five thousand dollars. They also secured two million five hundred thousand dollars for a fatal motorcycle accident.
The legal community has taken notice of Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers. National Trial Lawyers placed the firm’s lead attorney among the Top 40 Trial Attorneys Under 40. Super Lawyers has also recognized the firm’s attorneys as Rising Stars year after year.
The firm backs their work with a thirty-day satisfaction guarantee. Clients can walk away within the first month and get their file back at no charge. The team answers calls around the clock. They handle car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace fatalities, and premises liability cases.
- Over two hundred million dollars recovered for more than ten thousand clients
- Four hundred fifty-five thousand dollars wrongful death settlement on record
- Two million five hundred thousand dollar settlement for a fatal motorcycle accident
- Thirty-day satisfaction guarantee
- Twenty-four-seven support available
- NAOPIA Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in Massachusetts recognition
- National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recognition
2. Santoro & Gray
Santoro & Gray has built a reputation on taking on powerful defendants and winning. Their biggest victory came from the Big Dig tunnel collapse. A three-ton ceiling panel fell on a woman’s car, killing her. The firm secured a settlement of twenty-eight million five hundred thousand dollars for her family.
The firm also took on an international hotel chain after a father of four drowned in their pool. Poor maintenance and a broken emergency phone contributed to his death. His children could not call for help. The firm recovered a multi-million dollar verdict.
Victoria Santoro made history during the pandemic. She won the state’s first entirely remote civil jury trial. Jessica Gray secured a seven-figure settlement for a young man killed in a crosswalk. She also won a verdict of one million six hundred fifty thousand dollars in a Plymouth County slip-and-fall case.
- Big Dig tunnel collapse settlement of twenty-eight million five hundred thousand dollars
- Multi-million dollar hotel drowning verdict
- Seven-figure crosswalk wrongful death settlement
- One million six hundred fifty thousand dollar slip-and-fall verdict
- Victoria Santoro was recognized by Super Lawyers from 2023 through 2025
- Bradley M. Henry was recognized as a Rising Star from 2016 through 2024
3. Lubin & Meyer PC
Lubin & Meyer opened in 1974 and has become the dominant force in medical malpractice and catastrophic injury litigation across New England. The firm’s attorneys have been featured on the cover of New England’s Best Lawyers guide for four consecutive years.
Their track record speaks volumes. Over six hundred fifty million dollars recovered in the past decade alone. In 2024, the firm secured thirty-nine verdicts and settlements of one million dollars or more. That is eighteen times more than any other firm in the region. In 2025, they topped that with forty-three million-dollar-plus results.
The firm holds the largest personal injury verdict in Massachusetts history. Forty million dollars for a baby’s brain injury at birth.
They also secured thirty million dollars for another birth injury case and twenty-three million eight hundred thousand dollars for a child with cerebral palsy. One of their attorneys secured eight million five hundred thousand dollars for a New Hampshire cyclist killed by a tractor-trailer.
The firm earned a Tier One ranking by U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers in both medical malpractice law and personal injury litigation. Five attorneys make The Best Lawyers in America each year.
- Forty million dollar verdict, largest in Massachusetts history
- Eight million five hundred thousand dollar cyclist wrongful death verdict
- Thirty-nine million-dollar-plus recoveries in 2024 alone
- Nineteen lawyers and four registered nurses on staff
- Five attorneys in Best Lawyers in America
- Tier One ranking by U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers
4. Rawson, Merrigan & Litner, LLP
Rawson, Merrigan & Litner, LLP has over seventy-five years of combined experience. The firm exclusively handles personal injury and wrongful death cases. They are a trusted wrongful death law firm in Boston for many families.
A partner works on each case from beginning to end. That partner answers questions directly. The firm collects surveillance footage and witness statements. They obtain company safety records and driving reports. Financial experts calculate total losses, including future income.
They coordinate with multiple insurance carriers. This includes Personal Injury Protection and Medical Payments coverage. Their meticulous approach has earned them a reputation among Boston fatal injury lawyers. They serve clients from two office locations in Boston and Greenfield.
- Over seventy-five years of combined experience
- Partners personally handle every case
- Financial experts calculate full economic losses
- Coordinates with multiple insurance carriers
- Collects surveillance, witness statements, and safety records
- Two office locations in Boston and Greenfield
5. Joel H. Schwartz, P.C.
Joel H. Schwartz, P.C., opened more than five decades ago. The firm’s attorneys collectively bring over one hundred eighty-five years of litigation experience. They are a prominent wrongful death attorney in Boston practice.
More than thirty thousand claims have been resolved by this firm. Clients throughout the Boston metro area and beyond have received hundreds of millions in compensation. The National Trial Lawyers Association placed their attorneys in the Top 100.
Avvo gives them “Superb” ratings. Boston’s Top Rated Lawyers has also recognized the firm. The firm covers investigation and litigation costs upfront. They pay for medical records and expert fees. These costs get reimbursed at the end. Clients do not pay anything during the case.
Their experience makes them one of the most reliable wrongful death lawyers Boston families can turn to. They serve clients from their office at One Washington Street in Boston.
- Over fifty-five years of practice in Massachusetts
- One hundred eighty-five years of combined litigation experience
- More than thirty thousand claims resolved
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers
- “Superb” Avvo ratings
- Boston’s Top Rated Lawyers featured firm
- Covers all upfront investigation and litigation costs
How Settlement Values Are Determined
Settlement values depend on multiple factors that go beyond medical bills and funeral costs.
Age plays a major role. A thirty-year-old with decades of earning potential will generate a higher settlement than a sixty-year-old near retirement. The law looks at lost future income, not just current wages.
Occupation matters too. A surgeon’s lost income far exceeds that of a minimum wage worker. The calculation includes bonuses, raises, and career advancement that will never happen.
The number of dependents affects the value. A parent with three young children will have more serious damages than someone with no dependents. More people rely on that income.
Pain and suffering damages vary widely. Some cases involve prolonged suffering before death. Others involve instant death. Juries assign different values based on the circumstances.
Punitive damages add another layer. When a corporation prioritizes profits over safety, juries sometimes award punitive damages. These are designed to change corporate behavior.
The track record of the law firm influences settlement amounts, too. Insurance companies know which firms have won large verdicts. They offer more money to avoid going to trial against proven trial attorneys.
What Makes a Strong Track Record
A strong track record is not just about the size of settlements. It is about consistency and courtroom readiness.
Some firms have one big verdict and live off that reputation for years. Others deliver results year after year across different types of cases. That consistency matters.
Courtroom experience is equally important. Insurance companies settle cases faster when they know the opposing attorney has won at trial. They know which firms will not back down.
The best firms also have the resources to handle complex litigation. Medical malpractice cases require expert witnesses. Product liability cases require engineers. Workplace fatalities require safety experts.
Track records show patterns. A firm that consistently secures high-value settlements for clients is likely to do the same for new clients.
Final Thoughts
The attorneys on this list have one thing in common. They do not shy away from the courtroom. Insurance companies know their names. They know these firms will not accept lowball offers.
When meeting with any lawyer, pay attention to how they answer questions about trials. The ones who have been to court recently will tell you exactly what happened. They will name the judge. They will describe the verdict. They will not change the subject.
Massachusetts gives families three years to act. That window closes fast. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget details. Surveillance footage gets erased. The clock never stops.
Hiring a wrongful death attorney in Boston early makes a difference. The right Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers know how to preserve evidence. They know which experts to hire. They know how to build a case that holds up in court.
These five firms have strong track records. Families who work with them get attorneys who fight. They get representation that seeks full compensation. They get someone to handle the legal fight while they focus on their family.