10/14/2026
Families ask me this a lot: who's even allowed to file this? In Florida, a wrongful-death claim isn't brought by whichever relative is handling funeral calls or the insurance adjuster. It's brought by the estate's personal representative, who isn't qualified to act until the court issues letters of administration.
That appointment isn't a formality. Until those letters come through, nobody has authority to sign anything tied to the claim, and the personal representative generally brings the action for the survivors and the estate.
What I see most often is families gathering pay stubs and notes about household support while that appointment is pending. Smart move. That groundwork can carry forward, since Florida's wrongful-death deadline generally runs two years from death, not from when probate finishes.
If you're not sure who should petition for that appointment, I'd like to look at it with you. Call me: 305-900-6657.