A wrongful death is the result of a victim killed due to negligence or misconduct by another, whether it is an individual, company or entity. The ‘distributees ‘ of a wrongful death claim are the immediate family, which may include the surviving spouse, children or parents of the deceased.

Wrongful death claims are different from normal negligence lawsuits, which are filed by the individual that was injured for the resulting damages. In wrongful death, the victim’s survivors are entitled to monetary damages as a result of improper conduct or negligence.

Every state has its own set of civil wrongful death statutes, which establish the procedures for wrongful death actions, yet they all have in common 3 general principles, which include:

1. The death was caused, in whole or part, by the conduct of the defendant.
2. The defendant was negligent or strictly liable for the victim’s death.
3. There is a surviving beneficiary of the victim such as a spouse, child or children, parents, or other dependant.

 A wrongful death claim could result from the following circumstances:

• An automobile, motorcycle, airplane, helicopter or boating accident.
• A medical malpractice resulting in decedent’s death.
• Criminal behavior.
• Occupational exposure to hazardous conditions or substances.
• A death caused by negligence during a supervised activity.

Over the years, individual states have passed wrongful death laws that provide compensation for individuals who may have been damaged from the wrongful death of a loved one and all states have some form of wrongful death claim action in place.

 If you believe you are a surviving victim of wrongful death of a family member or loved one, please contact an experienced attorney at Wrongful Death Laws to handle your claim. We will get you the compensation you and your family are entitled to.

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