If you have lost a loved one because of someone else’s negligence, you may want to consider bringing a wrongful death action. Wrongful death is a specific kind of personal injury case that is intended to compensate the surviving family members for the loss of their loved one and to ensure that the negligent party is held responsible for that loss. While nearly any kind of negligence can precipitate a wrongful death claim, there are several kinds that are most closely associated with these tragic cases.
Medical Malpractice
We seek medical attention to help keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy. When instead of helping us, the medical care we seek ends up killing a loved one, it is a terrifying ordeal that can never be undone. Medical malpractice comes in many forms, including:
- Medical misdiagnosis
- Failure to accurately diagnose
- Mishandling of medical treatment
- Lack of appropriate aftercare and ongoing monitoring
- Surgical errors
- Improper administration or use of drugs and/or anesthesia
Car Accidents
Negligent drivers are responsible for tens of thousands of traffic fatalities every year in the United States. Driving is an immense responsibility, and when a driver disregards this responsibility, he or she driver endangers all of us. Negligence can also come in many forms, but often negligent drivers are distracted, impaired, drowsy – or are speeding or engaging in other kinds of aggressive driving. Negligent drivers not only endanger other drivers but also put pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and scooter riders in harm’s way. Finally, the negligence of commercial drivers – like truck drivers and bus drivers – can also be responsible for accidents that lead to wrongful death claims.
Defective Products
We purchase consumer goods because of their promise – often hyped in advertisements – of usefulness. When these products, instead, lead to deadly accidents, it is difficult to overstate the negative magnitude of the situation. Dangerously defective products can include things manufactured for children, car parts, cleaning products, pesticides, prescription drugs, and much more.
Compensation for a Wrongful Death Claim
If you have lost a loved one as the result of someone else’s negligence, you have suffered emotional, physical, and financial losses, that can include:
- The medical expenses that accrued before your loved one died
- The costs associated with the funeral and burial
- The loss of your family member’s earnings (now and into the future)
- The loss of companionship (if you are the victim’s spouse)
All told, the damages wrought by an accident that leads to a wrongful death action can be difficult to adequately calculate.