After losing someone in Glendale, Arizona: next steps and finding a wrongful death lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

We are sorry for your loss. In Glendale, Arizona, a wrongful death lawsuit must generally be filed within two years of the death.1 If a public agency may be responsible, a claim is due in 180 days.2 The Maricopa County Medical Examiner, 602-506-3322, can explain what happens next.3

See if you are owed money

$0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
Quiet road map of Glendale, Arizona showing West Lamar Road, where the county's Glendale public health clinic offers vital records
Maricopa County: a Medical Examiner report is free to next of kin. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What do we need to do first after a death in Glendale, AZ?

Very little has to happen today. You do not need to decide about a lawyer or talk to an insurance company this week. If an adjuster calls, it is fine to say you are not ready and ask them to write instead.

When someone dies from violence or in a non-natural way, including an accident tied to their job, the Medical Examiner's office is usually involved.45 That office has a Family Advocate you can call at (602) 506-3176.6 Glendale Police Victim Assistance is at (623) 930-3030,7 and the staff at the Family Advocacy Center, 6830 N. 57th Drive, offer crisis counseling and can explain the court process.8

How do I get a death certificate and reports in Maricopa County?

When you feel able, these are the papers most families end up needing.

PaperWhere it comes fromWhat to know
Death certificateOffice of Vital Registration, 602-506-6805, open weekdays, from 9 a.m. on Wednesdays9$20 per certified copy.10 The county's clinic at 5141 W. Lamar Rd. in Glendale lists Vital Records among its services.11
Pending death certificateSame officeIt is legal proof of death, and some insurers accept it.12
Medical Examiner report602-506-3322. Appointment only, no walk-ins313Free to legal next of kin, or to anyone asking for an electronic copy.14
Police crash reportGlendale Police records form or BuyCrash1516DPS keeps reports for state highway crashes.17

Medical Examiner reports take time. The office aims to finish 90% of them within 90 days, and some cases take longer.18 You can check progress on its online case status page, which covers the previous three years.19 Once a pending cause of death is listed, allow up to 4 weeks before asking for an amended certificate.20

Who can file a wrongful death claim in Arizona?

When a wrongful act or carelessness causes a death, the person or company responsible can be sued just as if the person had lived and sued.21

A surviving spouse, child, parent or guardian, or the personal representative, may file. The claim is for the spouse, children or parents, or for the estate if none of them survive.22 Families sometimes need to talk this through, because usually only one case goes forward for everyone. It helps to choose one person to be the contact.

If you need to be appointed personal representative, Maricopa Superior Court has self-service forms. They apply when the person died more than 120 hours ago but less than two years ago, with limited exceptions.23

How long does a family have to file in Glendale?

SituationTime limit
A person or a company may be responsibleGenerally two years, counted from the date of death1
A city, the county, the state or a public employee may be responsibleA claim within 180 days,2 then one year to sue24
A job-related deathDependents use Form 120 with the Industrial Commission,25 (602) 542-466126

The 180 days is the one that catches families off guard. It can apply when a crash happened at a city intersection with a signal problem or involved a public vehicle. In Glendale, the regional crash list shows some intersections on the Phoenix line,2728 so two cities may need to be looked at. We could not find a published claim form for the City of Glendale, and the City Clerk at 623-930-2252, Option 1, is the place to ask.29

What can a wrongful death case in Arizona recover?

Arizona leaves it to a jury to decide what amount is fair for the family's loss.30 No one can honestly tell you a number at the start. A loved one's share of fault, if any, can reduce what is awarded.31 A lawyer can explain how that may apply to what happened.

Other help may exist. If a crime caused the death, the county's Crime Victim Compensation Program can help families with funeral, mental health and wage loss costs.32 An independent board decides, based on program rules and available funding, so it is not certain.33 Glendale Victim Assistance can help with that application.34

If the death was from a crash in Glendale

Glendale recorded 29 people killed in crashes in 2024.35 Behind each of those numbers is a family trying to find out what happened. To speak with the detective on the case, call (623) 930-3000 and choose option 2. Have the report number ready, along with paper and a pen.36 If it was a hit and run, ask about it at (623) 930-3495.37

If a company truck was involved, records can disappear sooner than the two-year limit. Trucking companies must keep drivers' hours logs for at least 6 months.38 That is one reason some families talk to a lawyer earlier than they would like to.

How do we choose a wrongful death lawyer in Glendale?

Take your time, and bring someone with you if that helps. It is reasonable to ask these things at a first meeting:

  • Have you handled wrongful death cases in Maricopa County?
  • Who in our family should bring the claim, and who should be the contact?
  • Could a public agency be involved, and when would that notice be due?
  • How are fees and costs paid, and will you put that in writing?
  • How will you keep us informed, and who do we call with questions?

A good first meeting should leave you feeling less alone with this, not more rushed.

Questions

How much is a death certificate in Maricopa County?

$20 per certified copy.10 Call 602-506-6805 with questions.9

How long do we have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Arizona?

Generally two years from the date of death.1 If a public agency may be responsible, a claim is due within 180 days.2

How do we get the Medical Examiner's report?

Call 602-506-3322.3 It is free for legal next of kin.14

Who decides the amount in an Arizona wrongful death case?

A jury decides what is fair for the family's loss.30

Find out if you are owed money.

A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.

See if I’m owed money

Keep reading

Glendale

Wrongful death

Arizona

Sources

  1. A.R.S. § 12-542(2), checked 2026-11-08. “2. For injuries done to the person of another when death ensues from such injuries, which action shall be considered as accruing at the death of the party injured.”
  2. A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Any claim that is not filed within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues is barred and no action may be maintained thereon.”
  3. Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, checked 2026-11-08. “Please contact OME at 602-506-3322 for assistance or to schedule an in-person appointment.”
  4. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “Death resulting from violence.”
  5. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “including death from an accident believed to be related to the deceased person’s occupation or employment.”
  6. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Information for Next of Kin, checked 2026-11-08. “Family Advocate: (602) 506-3176”
  7. Glendale Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Victim Assistance | (623) 930-3030”
  8. Glendale Family Advocacy Center, Victim Assistance, checked 2026-11-08. “call or visit the Glendale Family Advocacy Center at (623) 930-3720 ~ 6830 North 57th Drive, Glendale, AZ 85301”
  9. Maricopa County, Vital Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.”
  10. Maricopa County, Vital Records, checked 2026-11-08. “$20 per certified copy / $30 for corrections and major changes”
  11. Maricopa County Public Health, Locations and Hours, checked 2026-11-08. “5141 W. Lamar Rd., Glendale, AZ 85301”
  12. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Information for Next of Kin, checked 2026-11-08. “death certificate is legal proof of death.”
  13. Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, checked 2026-11-08. “facility is appointment only; walk-ins will not be accepted.”
  14. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Information for Next of Kin, checked 2026-11-08. “There is no fee to obtain a copy of the report if you are legal next of kin or if you request an electronic report.”
  15. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “To obtain a copy of a Traffic Accident or Incident Report fill out an online records request form”
  16. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “if requesting a Traffic Accident you may also obtain a copy online at www.buycrash.com”
  17. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
  18. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Information for Next of Kin, checked 2026-11-08. “The OME strives to complete 90% of reports within 90 days.”
  19. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Case Status, checked 2026-11-08. “Basic information for Medical Examiner cases is provided for the previous three years.”
  20. Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Case Status, checked 2026-11-08. “please allow up to 4 weeks before contacting Office of Vital Registration for an amended death certificate.”
  21. A.R.S. § 12-611, checked 2026-11-08. “When death of a person is caused by wrongful act, neglect or default, and the act, neglect or default is such as would, if death had not ensued, have entitled the party injured to maintain an action to recover damages in respect thereof, then, and in every such case, the person who or the corporation which would have been liable if death had not ensued shall be liable to an action for damages”
  22. A.R.S. § 12-612(A), checked 2026-11-08. “An action for wrongful death shall be brought by and in the name of the surviving husband or wife, child, parent or guardian, or personal representative of the deceased person for and on behalf of the surviving husband or wife, children or parents, or if none of these survive, on behalf of the decedent's estate.”
  23. Maricopa County Superior Court, Appointment of Personal Representative, checked 2026-11-08. “The person died more than 120 hours ago, but less than 2 years ago,”
  24. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  25. Industrial Commission of Arizona, Injured Worker, checked 2026-11-08. “Dependent Benefits Claim Form - 120”
  26. Industrial Commission of Arizona, Worker's Report of Injury, checked 2026-11-08. “Phoenix: 800 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007 - Phone: (602) 542-4661”
  27. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “| 2 Glendale/ Phoenix | Glendale | 51ST AVE & CAMELBACK RD | 174 | 0.406 | 0.939 | 0.736 | 0.755 |”
  28. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “Multiple agencies are shown where the agency boundary runs through the intersection.”
  29. City of Glendale, City Clerk, checked 2026-11-08. “623-930-2252, Option 1”
  30. A.R.S. § 12-613, checked 2026-11-08. “In an action for wrongful death, the jury shall give such damages as it deems fair and just with reference to the injury resulting from the death to the surviving parties who may be entitled to recover”
  31. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  32. Maricopa County Attorney, Victim Related Information, checked 2026-11-08. “serves to assist crime victims and their families with crime-related expenses such as medical, mental health, funeral, crime scene clean up, and wage loss.”
  33. Maricopa County Attorney, Victim Related Information, checked 2026-11-08. “All decisions are based on program rules and the availability of funding.”
  34. Glendale Family Advocacy Center, Victim Assistance, checked 2026-11-08. “Superior Court resources and civil options”
  35. ADOT, 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Glendale | 5,218 | 27 | 1,456 | 3,735 | 29 | 2,064 | 224 | 7 | 104 |”
  36. Glendale Police, File an Online Police Report, checked 2026-11-08. “To speak with the Detective assigned to your report, please call (623) 930-3000, listen to the options, and select option #2.”
  37. Glendale Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Hit and Run Accident Information | (623) 930-3495”
  38. 49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1), checked 2026-11-08. “A motor carrier shall retain records of duty status and supporting documents required under this part for each of its drivers for a period of not less than 6 months from the date of receipt.”

Editorial policy

See if I’m owed moneyNo fee unless you win
AccidentsCitiesStatesGuides
See if I’m owed money