Why Choosing the Right Wrongful Death Lawyer Matters
Months after the funeral, a letter arrives at a house on a quiet block in Ditmas Park. It names a settlement figure, and within an hour three adult siblings are on the phone asking the same question in different ways: how much of that number actually reaches the family, and who decides each person’s share? In Carroll Gardens, a widow rereads the one-page fee agreement she signed in the first difficult week and cannot tell whether the percentage is taken before or after case expenses. In Prospect Lefferts Gardens, a son learns that a lien from his mother’s health coverage may need to be resolved before anyone is paid. Families who reach this stage often look for the best wrongful death attorneys in Brooklyn not only to win a case, but to explain how the money is approved, divided, and billed.
These questions arise more often than many people realize. According to New York State Department of Health vital statistics, 1,108 Kings County residents died from unintentional injuries in 2022. Not every one of those deaths involved negligence, but each represents a household that may have faced the same unfamiliar process.
Insurers tend to frame a resolution as a single number. An adjuster may present a lump sum, a release, and a deadline to respond, without addressing how a court will divide the proceeds between the family’s loss and the decedent’s own suffering, or what liens and fees will come out first. That framing is routine, yet it leaves the most important questions for later.
The right attorney can make the difference between:
- A settlement accepted informally and one presented to the court for written approval
- A split between claims decided by default and an allocation supported by medical and factual evidence
- Proceeds divided by family assumption and distribution set by the court according to each person’s pecuniary loss
- A fee agreement nobody fully understood and one that names its schedule and its method of calculation
- A closing statement that arrives without explanation and one reviewed line by line with the family
In New York, a wrongful death settlement is not final simply because both sides agree. The Estates, Powers and Trusts Law requires court approval, Surrogate’s Court proceedings shape distribution, and court rules in the Second Department, which includes Brooklyn, cap contingency fees. The September 2026 rankings follow.
September 2026 Rankings
| Rank | Law Firm | Lead Attorney | Client Satisfaction | Notable Settlements | Years Experience | Specialization Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kucher Law Group | Samantha Kucher, Esq. | 99% | $1,250,000 Erb’s Palsy Infant Settlement (Non-Wrongful Death) | 15+ | Wrongful Death & Personal Injury |
| 2 | Finz & Finz, P.C. | Stuart L. Finz, Esq. | 97% | $18,800,000 Philip Morris Settlement (Non-Wrongful Death) | 40+ | Wrongful Death & Personal Injury |
| 3 | Ajlouny Injury Law | Paul Ajlouny, Esq. | 95% | $300,000,000+ Total Recovered | 25+ | Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury |
| 4 | Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, P.C. | Not Stated | 94% | $1 Billion+ Total Verdicts and Settlements | Since 1992 | Wrongful Death & Personal Injury |
| 5 | Cellino Law | Ross Cellino, Esq. | 93% | Not Stated | Not Stated | Wrongful Death & Personal Injury |
#1 Kucher Law Group
Why They’re #1: Families who want wrongful death attorneys in Brooklyn who charge no fee unless they recover will find that Kucher Law Group states its terms plainly. Its wrongful death page promises “No Win, No Fee,” explains that a recovery goes to surviving family members in accordance with their damages, and notes that the claim must be initiated through the deceased person’s estate.
Firm Overview
RRK Kucher Law Group PLLC began practicing on December 10, 2019, and now employs 10 to 19 people. The firm self-reports more than $50 million recovered for clients, over $20 million of that through settlements, and a 99% success rate. Its Brooklyn office is on Pulaski Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and its Manhattan office is at 26 Broadway. The team answers calls around the clock and offers free consultations.
Notable Case Results
Kucher Law Group has not published a wrongful death result, and none is suggested here. The approved outcomes below are labeled by their facts. The first, an infant settlement, is a resolution that, like a wrongful death compromise, generally requires court approval:
- $1,250,000 : Erb’s palsy injury to an infant, settled before trial
- $575,000 : Medical malpractice claim against a major hospital
- $3,500,000 : Trip and fall on subway stairs, settled at trial
- $2,500,000 : Head-on motor vehicle collision causing a cervical spine injury that required surgery
- $525,000 : Jury verdict for a slip and fall on an icy sidewalk
Legal Team Excellence
Samantha Kucher leads this month’s profile. She meets with families in English, Russian, or Spanish, so relatives can ask about a fee agreement or a distribution hearing in the language most comfortable to them. She was admitted to the New York bar in 2015 after completing her undergraduate studies at NYU and earning her law degree at New York Law School. She grew up at the Milton Hershey School. Attorney Kucher was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020 and has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 and by NAOPIA in 2024 and 2025.
Michael Roitman is the firm’s primary trial attorney. Attorney Roitman studied at NYU and Cooley Law School, is admitted in the New York and New Jersey courts and in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and was named among the Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in New York for 2023. Alex Rybakov, licensed since 2010 with degrees from NYU and Seton Hall, has handled personal injury matters exclusively for more than ten years.
What Sets Them Apart
- 24/7 Availability: Families can reach the firm at any hour, including when a settlement deadline or court notice raises a late question
- No Upfront Fees / Contingency Only: The firm is paid only from a recovery, under its stated “No Win, No Fee” terms
- Brooklyn Knowledge: A Bedford-Stuyvesant office keeps the team close to Kings County Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court
- Personalized Service: Attorneys walk families through each figure on a settlement breakdown in plain terms
- Negotiation and Trial Readiness: The firm’s page explains that many wrongful death cases settle “through a series of negotiations” and that a claim is litigated in court when a fair settlement is not possible
Client Testimonials
This review comes from an accident client and does not describe a wrongful death case:
“I got into a rough accident, and the staff at Kucher Law Group never ceased to let me know they were there working hard to help me in my hour of need. It was always very easy to reach out to someone if I had any questions, and they were always happy to answer any questions I had. Hopefully I never need an accident lawyer again but I’m definitely recommending this firm to my friends and family.” jimmy sewade, Google Review
Why Choose Kucher Law Group
A wrongful death settlement involves more steps than most families expect. Kucher Law Group offers attorneys who are reachable at any hour, prepare cases for trial, and take no fee unless there is a recovery. Clients rate the firm 4.99 out of 5 across 81 Google reviews. A free consultation lets a family ask how fees and distribution would work before signing anything.
Contact: (929) 563-6780 | 463 Pulaski St #1C, Brooklyn, NY 11221
#2 Finz & Finz, P.C.
Why They Made Our List: Finz & Finz, P.C. has practiced in New York for more than four decades, keeps a Brooklyn office on Spencer Street, and publishes a wrongful death page that covers the early procedural steps families must take before any settlement can be discussed.
Firm Overview
The Brooklyn office is at 31 Spencer Street, Suite 1202. The firm’s Brooklyn wrongful death page explains that EPTL §5-4.1 places the claim with the decedent’s personal representative and that the action generally must be filed within two years of the death. It also describes the 90-day notice of claim that applies when a municipality may bear responsibility, which can affect the timing of any eventual resolution with a public entity.
Notable Achievements
The firm reports the following on its website and cites media coverage for its individual results:
- $18,800,000 : Settlement with Philip Morris, as reported by the LA Times (not a wrongful death matter)
- $2,350,000 : Medical malpractice verdict, as reported by the NY Post
- The firm states that it obtained four of the top 20 personal injury settlements in New York in 2020
The firm lists honors including Lawyers of Distinction 2024, Super Lawyers, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, National Trial Lawyers Top 100, America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators (2021), an AV Preeminent rating, and NADC recognition in 2023.
Lead Attorney / Team
Stuart L. Finz and Leonard L. Finz are among the attorneys the firm names. Cheri Finz, Todd M. Rubin, Jacquelin Finz, and Brandon S. Finz are also listed, giving families a multi-attorney team with long experience in New York courts.
Service Approach
The wrongful death page outlines the categories of loss a representative may pursue, including lost earnings, household services, funeral and burial costs, medical expenses, and loss of parental guidance. Those categories are also the starting point for the pecuniary loss evidence a court considers when it divides a recovery among family members. Fee terms are not stated on the page, so families may wish to ask about them during the free consultation.
Contact: (718) 957-2407 | 31 Spencer St, Suite 1202, Brooklyn, NY 11205
#3 Ajlouny Injury Law
Why They Made Our List: Ajlouny Injury Law has represented injured New Yorkers for more than twenty-five years from a Court Street office and states its contingency terms directly.
Firm Overview
The firm’s office is at 26 Court Street, Suite 1104. Its wrongful death page explains that the estate’s personal representative brings the claim, that most claims must be filed within two years, and that a 90-day notice of claim applies to municipalities. The page also names the relatives who commonly share in a recovery, a helpful preview for families who will later take part in a distribution hearing.
Notable Achievements
- The firm states that it has recovered more than $300,000,000 for clients across its practice areas; the page lists no individual amounts, so the figure is a career total
- The page identifies lost financial support, funeral and burial costs, and loss of parental guidance as recoverable losses
Lead Attorney / Team
Paul Ajlouny founded the firm, and Michael Levitz is also listed among its attorneys. The page does not list awards or professional recognitions.
Service Approach
Ajlouny Injury Law works on contingency, so families pay no fee unless compensation is recovered, and it advertises advice at all hours. Its page distinguishes the wrongful death claim, which addresses the survivors’ losses, from the survival action, which addresses what the decedent endured before death. Understanding that difference early can help a family follow the allocation question that arises when both claims are settled together.
Contact: (516) 535-5555 | 26 Court St #1104, Brooklyn, NY 11242
#4 Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, P.C.
Why They Made Our List: Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, P.C. has represented New Yorkers since 1992, offers consultations in three languages, and states a “no fees unless we win” policy.
Firm Overview
The firm does not list a Brooklyn office. It practices from 14 Penn Plaza in Manhattan and from offices in Woodbury and Flushing, and its Brooklyn wrongful death page states that it serves Brooklyn families. It reports more than $1 billion in combined verdicts and settlements.
Notable Achievements
Listed recognitions include Best Law Firms in New York City for personal injury (2026), Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” (2026), the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Top 100 National Trial Lawyers, and Super Lawyers.
Lead Attorney / Team
Individual attorneys are not named on the wrongful death page, so a family may want to ask who will handle the matter, and who will appear at any court approval hearing, during the first call.
Service Approach
Consultations are available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. The page states the two-year filing period measured from the date of death, links to EPTL §5-4.1, and lists lost wages, loss of support, funeral costs, and loss of parental guidance among recoverable losses.
Contact: (212) 268-3222 | 14 Penn Plaza, Suite 1718, New York, NY 10122 (Manhattan; no Brooklyn office listed)
#5 Cellino Law
Why They Made Our List: Cellino Law keeps a Brooklyn office on Fulton Street and grounds its wrongful death page in the statute that governs these claims.
Firm Overview
The Brooklyn office is at 1409 Fulton Street, Suite 101. The firm’s wrongful death page cites EPTL §5-4.1 and explains that the estate’s personal representative brings the claim within two years. The firm describes serving Brooklyn clients for decades without giving a specific number of years.
Notable Achievements
Case amounts are not published on the wrongful death page. The page lists medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost wages among recoverable damages.
Lead Attorney / Team
Ross Cellino and Timothy Cellino are both named on the page.
Service Approach
Cellino Law offers a free initial consultation through its Brooklyn line and its toll-free number, 888-888-8888. Fee terms are not stated on the wrongful death page, so the first call is a natural time to ask which fee schedule would apply and how expenses are handled.
Contact: (347) 756-4245 | 1409 Fulton Street, Suite 101, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Understanding Brooklyn Wrongful Death Cases
How a death happened shapes who is responsible, and it can also shape the fee schedule and how a settlement is divided. A claim rooted in medical care follows a different fee cap than a crash or a fall, and a death preceded by hours of conscious suffering raises allocation questions that an instantaneous death does not.
Crashes in Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Empire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue carry buses, delivery vans, and heavy foot traffic. For motor vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, new CPLR §1411(b) bars a claimant whose fault exceeds the defendants’, and families should ask how that change bears on their particular claim.
Older Homes in Ditmas Park
Many houses along Argyle Road and Marlborough Road are large, older frame buildings, some divided into rental units. Fatal falls, fires, and carbon monoxide exposure can raise questions about an owner’s maintenance and code compliance.
Construction in Carroll Gardens
Renovations along Smith Street and near Hamilton Avenue bring scaffolds and open floors onto narrow blocks, and several contractors may share responsibility.
Who Can Be Held Liable
- Drivers, vehicle owners, and employers of commercial drivers
- Landlords, property owners, and managing agents
- General contractors and subcontractors
- Hospitals and medical providers
- Public entities, subject to notice of claim rules
Critical NYC Requirements
- Court approval: Under EPTL §5-4.6(a), the court where the action is pending must approve or disapprove a proposed compromise within sixty days, and its written approval covers attorney fees and expenses. Proceeds go into an interest-bearing escrow account for the distributees, and approved fees become payable once a petition for allocation and distribution is filed in Surrogate’s Court.
- Allocation between claims: When a settlement resolves both claims, the court must decide how much belongs to wrongful death and how much to the decedent’s conscious pain and suffering. In Matter of McMillan-Hoyte (2021), the Albany County Surrogate’s Court noted that wrongful death recoveries are not subject to a decedent’s creditors, while a personal injury share would be payable to the estate.
- Distribution: Under EPTL §5-4.4, wrongful death damages belong exclusively to the decedent’s distributees and are shared in proportion to each person’s pecuniary injuries, determined after a hearing. The court may first deduct reasonable expenses of the action and, where included in the damages, funeral and medical costs.
- Fee caps: In the Second Department, 22 NYCRR §691.20(e) deems a fee fair if it stays within Schedule A (50% of the first $1,000, 40% of the next $2,000, 35% of the next $22,000, and 25% above $25,000) or Schedule B (up to one-third), computed on the net sum after expenses. For medical, dental, or podiatric malpractice, Judiciary Law §474-a sets a lower scale, from 30% of the first $250,000 down to 10% above $1,250,000.
- Deadline: EPTL §5-4.1 requires the action within two years after death.
Questions Families Can Ask About Fees
- Which schedule applies, and is the percentage taken after expenses?
- On a $600,000 net recovery, Schedule A yields $152,750 and Schedule B yields $200,000; which figure would apply?
- Will a retainer statement and closing statement be filed with the Office of Court Administration?
- Is Surrogate’s Court work included in the fee?
Selection Criteria
Every firm was measured against the same factors, using only information it publishes. Because this edition focuses on how settlements are approved, divided, and billed, we paid added attention to fee transparency and to how clearly each firm explains the estate process.
Case Results and Recovery Amounts. Each figure appears with its actual case type, and career totals are labeled as totals. No result from another practice area was presented as a wrongful death outcome. We noted court-approved resolutions, such as infant settlements, where firms published them.
Client Satisfaction. Ratings and written reviews show how clients describe responsiveness and follow-through, including whether they felt informed when money was finally distributed. We weighed consistent patterns across many reviews above single comments and treated no rating as a forecast of any result.
Legal Experience and Expertise. Settling a death claim requires familiarity with EPTL §5-4.6, the Surrogate’s Court allocation process, and the distribution rules of EPTL §5-4.4. Years in practice, an injury focus, and accurate statements of the law on a firm’s own pages all counted.
Trial Readiness. A court reviewing a proposed compromise asks whether the amount is reasonable, and a firm prepared for verdict can negotiate from a stronger position. Stated trial experience and published verdicts informed this factor.
Brooklyn Community Connection. Proximity to Kings County Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court makes hearings and filings easier for families. We reported each firm’s offices exactly as listed, including firms that serve Brooklyn from elsewhere.
Professional Recognition. Peer and industry honors offer an outside view of a firm’s reputation among other lawyers. We recorded the year of each honor where available, considered who issued it, and did not present older awards as current.
Accessibility and Communication. Families often have questions when a settlement offer, court notice, or lien letter arrives. Round-the-clock contact, consultations in several languages, and patient explanations all counted.
Fee Structure and Transparency. Second Department rules cap contingency fees, but families still benefit from knowing which schedule applies, how expenses are deducted, and whether estate work is included. Firms that state their fee terms publicly scored better than those that leave the question for later.
Scope of Services. We looked for firms whose materials explain the personal representative’s role, survival claims, and how a recovery is shared among family members. Pages that prepare a family for the estate side of a settlement, not only the lawsuit, help relatives arrive at a first meeting with better questions.
Moving Forward
A settlement offer can bring a family relief and a new set of questions at the same moment. Families in Ditmas Park, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and across Brooklyn are entitled to understand how a court will review a proposed resolution, how the proceeds will be divided, and what the attorney’s fee will be before they agree to anything.
Because New York requires a wrongful death action within two years after death, and because estate and court steps take time, it is sensible to seek guidance early. Most firms in this ranking offer a free consultation. Bringing a death certificate, any letters of administration, the fee agreement if one was signed, and insurer correspondence can make that conversation more useful, though no family needs every document before calling.
About Our Rankings: PRFire News’ monthly rankings recognize excellence in specialized practice areas. Our evaluation process examines case results, client satisfaction, professional experience, and community impact. Rankings are based on verified data and are updated monthly to reflect current performance. Enhanced profiles are available but not required for ranking consideration.
For Attorneys: To nominate yourself or a colleague for future rankings, please email editor@prfirenews.com.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique, and results depend on specific facts and circumstances.
