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Bullhead City · Mohave County · Wrongful deathBullhead City wrongful death lawyer. A private first conversation.
After a death on SR 95, on the river, or anywhere around Bullhead City, families face two early questions: who may bring a claim, and how much time there is. Henry Beam, a former Mohave County prosecutor, will talk it through with the family on a free call.
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No attorney fee without a recovery. Case costs and expenses remain your responsibility regardless of recovery.
Photo: Andrew Cattoir, National Park Service (public domain)
Why Henry
A death in Bullhead City: what Arizona law says first.
In Arizona, a wrongful death claim is brought by a surviving spouse, child, parent, or guardian, or by the personal representative, for the family. The lawsuit deadline is generally two years after the death. A claim against a city, county, or the state has a 180-day notice deadline and a separate one-year lawsuit deadline, both measured from accrual, with exceptions.
The insurance company fights against you. Henry fights for you.
Arizona law
Who may bring a Bullhead City wrongful death claim.
Arizona allows a wrongful death action when the person who died could have sued for the injury had they lived. The claim runs against whoever would have been liable for that injury.
The action is brought by the surviving husband or wife, a child, a parent or guardian, or the personal representative of the estate, for the surviving spouse, children, or parents. If none of them survive, it is brought for the estate. Being a relative is not always enough: siblings, for example, are not on that list.
Some Bullhead City families are spread across Arizona, Nevada, and California. Who will speak for the family is often the first thing to settle, and an early, private conversation can sort out those roles before any decision about legal action.
Sources: A.R.S. § 12-611; A.R.S. § 12-612
What a claim covers
What Arizona law lets a family seek.
A jury awards the damages it finds fair and just for the injury the death caused to the surviving family members, considering any mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Money recovered in a wrongful death action is not subject to the debts of the person who died, unless the action is brought for the estate.
Under Arizona’s comparative-fault law, an injured person’s own established share of fault generally reduces the recovery rather than barring it, though exceptions apply.
Sources: A.R.S. § 12-613; A.R.S. § 12-2505
Bullhead City
On the road and on the river.
ADOT recorded 631 crashes in Bullhead City in 2024, with 304 people injured and 6 killed. Alcohol was involved in 43 of those crashes. On the water, the Coast Guard counted 11 boating deaths across Arizona in 2024.
The Colorado River is also the state line. Where a death happened, on the Arizona side or the Nevada side, on a road or on the water, can decide which state’s law applies and whether federal maritime law is involved. Henry is licensed in Arizona, so a Nevada-side death needs individual review.
Keep a list of every hospital, doctor, and agency involved, along with any report numbers. Those records matter later, and nothing has to be gathered before the first call.
Sources: ADOT 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 2-5; U.S. Coast Guard, Recreational Boating Statistics 2024 (Table 30)
Timing matters
Wrongful death deadlines after a Bullhead City death.
| Claim | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wrongful death lawsuit (accrues at the death) | 2 years | A.R.S. § 12-542 |
| Notice of claim to a city, county, state agency, or public employee, with a specific settlement amount and supporting facts | 180 days after accrual | A.R.S. § 12-821.01 |
| Lawsuit against a public entity or public employee (a separate deadline, not counted from the notice) | 1 year after accrual | A.R.S. § 12-821 |
| Written claim to a federal agency, such as the National Park Service at Katherine Landing (different rules if maritime law applies) | 2 years | 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b) |
| Maritime-law death or injury lawsuit, if maritime law applies (some exceptions) | 3 years | 46 U.S.C. § 30106 |
Deadlines generally run from when a claim accrues, and exceptions exist. For example, the 180-day notice period for a minor or an incompetent person runs from when that disability ends, and some claims do not accrue until a required administrative process is finished. This table is not a calculation of your family’s deadline. If time may be short, seek prompt legal help rather than waiting for a future calendar appointment.
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Before you reach out
Questions families in Bullhead City ask.
Direct answers about Arizona wrongful death claims and reaching Henry.
Who can file a wrongful death claim for a death in Bullhead City?
Under A.R.S. § 12-612, the claim is brought by the surviving spouse, a child, a parent or guardian, or the personal representative of the estate. It is brought for the surviving spouse, children, and parents, or for the estate if none of them survive. Siblings and other relatives are not on that list.
How long does a family have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Arizona?
Generally two years after the cause of action accrues, and for wrongful death that is the date of the death (A.R.S. § 12-542). Exceptions can change the timing. A claim against a public entity has much shorter deadlines, and some deaths on the river may fall under federal rules with their own deadlines.
What if a city, county, or the state may be responsible for the death?
Two separate deadlines apply. A notice of claim generally must be filed within 180 days after the claim accrues, stating a specific amount for which it can be settled and the supporting facts (A.R.S. § 12-821.01). The lawsuit itself must be filed within one year after accrual (A.R.S. § 12-821). Exceptions exist, including for minors.
What can a family recover in an Arizona wrongful death case?
The jury awards the damages it finds fair and just for the injury the death caused to the surviving family members, considering any mitigating or aggravating circumstances (A.R.S. § 12-613). If the person who died shared some fault, Arizona’s comparative-fault law generally reduces the recovery rather than barring it, though exceptions apply.
What if the death happened on the Nevada side of the river or on the water?
Tell Henry exactly where it happened, where the people involved live, and which agency responded. Nevada law may apply to a death in Nevada, and federal maritime law can apply to some deaths on navigable water, depending on where and how it happened. Henry is licensed in Arizona, so these cases need a specific review first.
What does it cost to talk with Henry about a wrongful death claim?
The first conversation is free and private, and it does not commit the family to anything. If the family hires Henry, there is no attorney fee without a recovery; case costs and expenses remain the client's responsibility regardless of recovery. The full terms go into a written agreement before anything is signed.
How does a family reach Henry from Bullhead City?
Call (480) 899-9019, text Henry, or book a time on his calendar. Keep the first message brief and do not send records by text.