Chester County Estate Law Attorneys

Understand the importance of opening an estate in anticipation of litigation after a wrongful death case in Philadelphia and its suburbs. Our Philadelphia Injury team takes the necessary step to prepare your case so you and your family can get the justice you need following the loss of a loved one. Contact Ciccarelli Law Offices if a loved one is the victim of a wrongful death in Pennsylvania by email or call 24/7 toll free at (877) 529-2422.

Opening an Estate for Litigation

When a loved one dies, especially from a tragic accident, the last thing you want to deal with is worrying how to set up an estate. The best thing to do is consult an experienced attorney who can take care of the process for you during this difficult time. However, the next few paragraphs will give a basic overview of probate in Pennsylvania.

Setting Up an Estate

An estate must be set up when someone passes away and they own assets in his or her name alone. This is done by a personal representative to handle the assets and take care of settling the decedent's affairs. The personal representative is called an Executor if they were named in the decedent's will otherwise, they are called an Administrator. A personal representative can be an individual, an attorney, a bank or a trust company. The personal representative is the only one legally authorized to deal with the assets of the estate. Their job is to notify beneficiaries, gather assets, pay debts and taxes, account for all estate transactions; in general, properly distribute the estate. The purpose of the process is to prevent fraud and protect the rights of creditors and beneficiaries of the estate.

If assets are owned jointly, for example in the case of a husband or wife, the jointly held asset immediately passes to the surviving spouse and is not a part of the probate process.

The costs of probate include filing fees for opening the estate, advertising the estate, filing an inventory of estate assets and other papers to complete the estate process. Costs also include preparation of various death and income tax returns and legal fees.

In Pennsylvania the probate process does not take a long time as compared to other states.

The personal representative has broad powers under the law which allows for expeditious handling of the probate process.

Our promise: You need Philadelphia wrongful death lawyers ready to fight for justice for your family after a wrongful death. You do not expect guarantees but you need a Philadelphia wrongful death lawyer that you can trust to fight for you and your family to the fullest extent of the law. Our legal team promises to work for you; be thorough and aggressive in setting out the best strategies for you and your loved ones.

A Team that Fights For Results

At Ciccarelli Lawyers, our team of Philadelphia Wrongful Death lawyers are working on your case so that you have the benefit of several attorneys including Lee and using their combined efforts and experience to get you the justice you and your family need. We represent grieving families throughout Pennsylvania including the Philadelphia metropolitan area of Bucks County, Berks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, Lehigh County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia. Get Justice.

You Don't Owe Attorney Fees Unless We Recover For You

We accept Pennsylvania personal injury cases such as wrongful death and survival actions on a contingency fee basis; which means that we do not require an advance fee, retainer or hourly rate but base our fee on a percentage of the monetary settlement we earn for you. Call Us 24/7 toll free at (877) 529-2422. Learn how we will work toward the results you need.

When your family has been victimized by a wrongful death in Philadelphia, you need justice; and you need a top Philadelphia wrongful death lawyer with years of experience winning the tough cases: contact Lee Ciccarelli and our Philadelphia Wrongful Death team today. Call 24/7 at (877) 529-2422.