Insurance companies know which firms will take a case to trial. They treat those firms differently. They offer more money. They settle faster.
Trial experience matters in wrongful death cases. Attorneys who have stood before juries know how to present evidence. They know how to cross-examine witnesses. They know how to win.
The following seven Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers have proven themselves in courtrooms across the state. Their track records show they are not afraid to fight.
Here are seven wrongful death attorneys with strong trial experience in Massachusetts.
1. Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers
Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers in Massachusetts handles serious wrongful death cases throughout Massachusetts. They have helped more than ten thousand people and recovered over two hundred million dollars for families across the state. Not every case goes to trial. But every case gets built as it will.
The firm’s lead attorney has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Under 40 trial attorney. Super Lawyers has also named him a Rising Star every year since 2017. He graduated cum laude from New England Law in Boston, where he served on the Law Review. Before starting his own firm, he worked at a boutique litigation practice where he handled complex civil cases. That experience taught him how to prepare cases for trial from the very first client meeting. He carries that approach into every wrongful death case his firm takes on.
Insurance adjusters know which firms are willing to go to court. They track which attorneys have actually tried cases and won. Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers has taken that path more than once.
The firm does not bluff about the trial. When an insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, the firm files a lawsuit and prepares for the courtroom. That reputation alone often pushes settlement offers higher than they would be otherwise.
The firm’s thirty-day satisfaction guarantee and 24/7 client support are part of a larger commitment. Families do not have to wonder whether their attorney will stick with them until the end.
- Seven attorneys dedicated exclusively to litigation
- Trial-first approach from day one – every case built for court
- National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recognition
- Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition
- Takes cases to trial when insurance companies refuse fair offers
2. Lubin & Meyer PC
Lubin & Meyer holds the largest personal injury verdict in Massachusetts history. Forty million dollars for a baby’s brain injury at birth. The firm has recovered over six hundred fifty million dollars in the past decade alone. This record makes them one of the most respected Boston wrongful death law firms in the state.
In 2025, Lubin & Meyer obtained forty million-dollar-plus medical malpractice and personal injury settlements. That is the eighteenth consecutive year they have led all firms in this category. Their recent trial victories include twenty-eight million eight hundred thousand dollars for a death due to an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm at North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital. Seventeen million dollars for a botched hernia surgery resulting in death. Fifteen million dollars for a baby’s sleep study death at Boston Children’s Hospital.
- Forty million dollar jury verdict – largest in Massachusetts history
- Eighteen consecutive years leading all firms in million-dollar trial verdicts
- Twenty-eight million eight hundred thousand dollar trial verdict for aortic aneurysm death
- Seventeen million dollar trial verdict for hernia surgery death
- Fifteen million dollar trial verdict for Boston Children’s Hospital death
3. Santoro & Gray
Victoria M. Santoro serves as the Massachusetts Bar Association President for the 2024-2025 term. She co-founded Santoro & Gray with her longtime trial partner Jessica Gray after fourteen years in personal injury law. Her trial experience includes a multi-million-dollar verdict against an international hotel chain for the wrongful death drowning of a father of four.
During the COVID crisis, Santoro prevailed in the state’s first entirely remote civil jury trial. Jessica Gray achieved a seven-figure settlement for the wrongful death of a young man struck in a crosswalk. She also secured a verdict of one million six hundred fifty thousand dollars in a slip-and-fall case tried in Plymouth County. That verdict was twenty-seven and a half times higher than the highest settlement offer.
The firm secured a twenty-eight million five hundred thousand dollar settlement in the Big Dig tunnel collapse case. These results demonstrate why they are trusted Boston fatal injury lawyers.
- Prevailed in the state’s first entirely remote civil jury trial
- Victoria Santoro, Massachusetts Bar Association President, with trial experience
- Twenty-eight million five hundred thousand dollar Big Dig trial settlement
- Three-million-dollar jury verdict with punitive damages against a hotel chain
- One million six hundred fifty thousand dollars Plymouth County trial verdict
4. Swartz & Swartz, P.C.
James A. Swartz maintains a nationwide litigation and trial practice. He has been named a Super Lawyer every year since two thousand four. His practice focuses on negligence, product liability, medical malpractice, and wrongful death claims involving catastrophic injuries. This makes him a leading wrongful death attorney in Boston with national reach.
Senior trial counsel David P. Angueira has obtained record-breaking results for clients. He served as a prosecutor with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. He also served as a judicial law clerk to the Massachusetts Court of Appeals. His practice areas include wrongful death, class actions, railroad law, maritime law, and aviation law. The firm secured six million dollars for a young boy’s drowning death at a day camp. They also obtained six million twelve thousand dollars for a brain injury case involving a defective medical device.
- Nationwide litigation and trial practice
- Senior trial counsel with prosecutorial and judicial clerkship experience
- Six million twelve thousand dollar trial verdict for a defective medical device
- Six-million-dollar trial settlement for a day camp drowning
- Super Lawyer recognition every year since two thousand four for trial work
5. Burns & Jain
Burns & Jain has practiced in Boston since 1985. The firm represents clients in District Courts, Superior Courts, Appeals Court, Housing Court, and Federal District Court. This wide range of court experience demonstrates their trial readiness across multiple jurisdictions, making them reliable wrongful death lawyers Boston families can trust.
Attorney Neil Burns has three decades of experience handling complex personal injury cases throughout Massachusetts. He has secured numerous multi-million dollar settlements and is known for aggressive representation in workplace and construction injury cases. The firm has used the punitive damages portion of Massachusetts wrongful death law to pressure insurance companies to pay fair value. The firm has also represented families in legal malpractice cases where negligence led to wrongful death.
- Trial experience across District Courts, Superior Courts, Appeals Court, and Federal District Court
- Three decades of trial experience in Massachusetts courts
- Uses punitive damages to pressure insurance companies at trial
- Experience in Housing Court and multiple jurisdictions
- Aggressive trial representation in workplace and construction injury cases
6. Joel H. Schwartz, P.C.
Joel H. Schwartz, P.C. has been practicing personal injury law in Massachusetts for over fifty-five years. The firm’s attorneys collectively bring over one hundred eighty-five years of litigation experience. This depth of experience makes them seasoned Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers with courtroom knowledge spanning decades.
They have successfully resolved more than thirty thousand claims and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients. The National Trial Lawyers Association has placed the firm’s 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.
- One hundred eighty-five years of combined litigation experience
- National Trial Lawyers Top 100 recognition for trial work
- “Superb” Avvo ratings reflecting courtroom reputation
- Boston’s Top Rated Lawyers recognition
- Over fifty-five years of trial practice in Massachusetts
7. Rawson, Merrigan & Litner, LLP
Rawson, Merrigan & Litner, LLP has over seventy-five years of combined litigation experience. The firm exclusively handles personal injury and wrongful death cases. Partners personally handle every case from start to finish. This commitment to personal attention makes them a respected Boston wrongful death law firm in the community.
A partner works on each case from beginning to end. That partner answers questions directly. They collect surveillance footage and witness statements. They obtain company safety records and driving reports. Financial experts calculate total losses, including future income. The firm has been recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America. They serve clients from offices in Boston and Greenfield.
- Partners personally handle every case from trial preparation through verdict
- Over seventy-five years of combined trial experience
- Super Lawyers recognition for trial work
- Best Lawyers in America recognition for litigation
- Exclusively handles cases that may proceed to trial
What Trial Experience Means for Families
Trial-ready attorneys bring certain advantages to wrongful death cases. They have stood before juries. They know how to present complex evidence. They can cross-examine expert witnesses.
Insurance companies know which firms try cases. They offer larger settlements to avoid going to court against them. The threat of trial gives families leverage during negotiations.
Firms with trial experience also have established relationships with expert witnesses. They know accident reconstruction specialists. They work with medical experts. They can call on financial analysts.
The firms listed here have demonstrated their trial readiness through actual verdicts and courtroom victories. Their track records show they are not afraid to fight.
Why Trial Experience Matters in Wrongful Death Cases
Wrongful death trials are different from other personal injury cases. The stakes are higher. The emotions are deeper. The evidence is more complex.
Juries in wrongful death cases must determine the value of a human life. They must calculate lost future earnings. They must assign a dollar amount to the loss of companionship. These are difficult decisions.
Attorneys with trial experience know how to help juries make these decisions. They present evidence in clear, compelling ways. They humanize the victim. They show the impact of the loss on surviving family members.
Insurance companies know which attorneys can do this effectively. They know which firms have won large jury verdicts. They know which attorneys have the respect of judges and juries.
The firms listed here have all proven themselves in trial. They have secured record-breaking verdicts. They have won cases that other attorneys might have settled for less. They have demonstrated that they are not afraid to go to court.
This trial experience translates into better outcomes for families. Insurance companies offer more money when they know the opposing attorney has trial experience. They settle faster. They take the case more seriously.
For families facing the loss of a loved one, this matters. It means more compensation. It means faster resolution. It means the responsible parties are held accountable.
Conclusions
Trial experience separates good law firms from great ones. The attorneys listed here have proven themselves in courtrooms across Massachusetts and beyond. They have secured record-breaking verdicts and settlements for grieving families.
Insurance companies know these firms by name. They know which attorneys will take cases to trial. They adjust their settlement offers accordingly.
For families seeking a wrongful death attorney in Boston with trial experience, Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers represents a strong choice among Boston wrongful death attorneys. Their seven litigation attorneys demonstrate their commitment to trial readiness.
