Documents to Preserve After a Wrongful Death

Secure official death and incident records

Keep copies of the death certificate, medical examiner or coroner materials, autopsy and toxicology records when released, emergency records, incident reports, photographs, and agency correspondence. Procedures and release timing differ, so follow the responsible office’s instructions rather than guessing at access rights.

Create a chronology of the event, notifications, treatment, identification, and release of remains. Record the name of each agency contact and the request date.

Preserve work and safety documents

Collect employment information, schedules, pay statements, benefit summaries, training records, safety communications, job assignments, and workers’ compensation notices. Keep personal copies lawfully obtained; do not remove restricted employer data or alter an original record.

Messages, photographs, video, location information, and witness contacts may show conditions before and after the incident. Ask custodians to preserve relevant electronic material because automated systems can overwrite it.

Document household and financial impact

Keep funeral and burial invoices, medical bills, life-insurance correspondence, Social Security notices, tax returns, bank records, pension or benefit information, and evidence of the decedent’s household work or caregiving. Store sensitive financial records securely and share them only with an appropriate recipient.

A family’s grief is not reduced to paperwork, but organized records help distinguish amounts paid, amounts owed, benefits received, and losses that may be recognized under local law.

Protect personal property and digital accounts

Photograph and inventory the decedent’s phone, computer, vehicle, tools, protective equipment, and other relevant property before repair, disposal, or return when safe and lawful. Preserve original files and note who has custody of each item.

Do not access accounts by guessing passwords, delete messages, or post private material. Probate and privacy rules may govern devices, accounts, and personal papers.

Use a shared index and check deadlines

Choose a secure location and one family contact for an indexed copy of the file. The index should list the item, source, date received, and any response needed. Keep originals and make working copies.

Wrongful-death, survival, workers’ compensation, insurance, probate, and government-notice deadlines may not match. State law determines who may act and what evidence is admissible; prompt local advice may prevent an avoidable loss.

Frequently asked questions

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