Common Types of Wrongful Death Cases
Wrongful death or unintentional injuries are some of the leading causes of fatalities in the United States. Wrongful death is any death of a human being that results from another person’s negligence. It is different from manslaughter, homicide, or murder.
To sue for wrongful death, you will need to have a good wrongful death lawyer to help prove negligence and other elements of the case. This is because state laws require that the defendant’s actions must be directly linked to injuries that cost the victim their life for a claim to be valid.
Families rely on wrongful death settlements to help them meet some financial obligations and hold the at-fault party accountable for their actions. Several situations and factors cause these deaths:
Medical Malpractice
Doctors, nurses, surgeons, and other medical care providers are trusted by their patients and family members to save their lives when they are sick or injured. Though they do their best to uphold their duty of care, there are times when a mistake can cost a patient their life:
- Pharmaceutical errors
- Birth injuries
- Lack of informed consent
- Defective medical devices
- Wrong diagnosis
- Surgical errors
- Delayed and improper treatment
Medical Malpractice lawsuits are very challenging to litigate, and if you have such a case, you should hire the right medical malpractice attorney from your state.
Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents
Road crashes are prevalent. They are also very fatal. If you lose a loved one through a road accident, you can sue the liable party for negligence and claim compensation for the damages. These accidents are caused by:
- Distracted driving
- DUI
- Auto or mechanical defects
- Poor road conditions
- Speeding
- Trucking company negligence
- Aggressive driving
- Other types of negligence
These accidents can leave victims with life-threatening injuries such as brain or spinal cord injuries that are very expensive to treat and life altering. To avoid struggling with substantial medical bills, funeral expenses, and more, families can sue and claim compensation to cater to the bills. To make a successful claim, especially when it comes to motorcycle and truck accidents, you will need the help of a good lawyer. In some cases, the driver may not be liable for the accident, and motorcycle insurance coverage may not be enough to cover the damages.
Workplace Accidents
Employers should provide their employees with a safe working environment. If an employee is injured or loses their life through a workplace accident, their dependents can claim wrongful death. These fatalities are most often caused by the following:
- Barge and towboat accidents
- Manufacturing accidents
- Railroad worker Injuries
- Repetitive motion and strain Injuries
- Construction accidents
- Mining accidents
- Asbestos exposure
The state’s workers’ compensation can give the dependent the employee’s death benefits, and they can also choose to sue for negligence if the law allows.
Defective Products
Manufacturers have a duty to ensure that they only make and sell safe products. If they fail to do this, they can be guilty of breaching their duty of care and can face a wrongful death lawsuit if the products they manufactured cost someone their life. Therefore, manufacturers in the auto, pharmaceutical, food and consumption, children products, beauty, and other industries must always ensure that they produce high-quality products to avoid such lawsuits.
Hire a Wrongful Death Attorney
If you have lost a loved one to any of these accidents, you may have a right to file a lawsuit and claim compensation from the at-fault party. These lawsuits are very challenging, and to increase your chances of success and maximum compensation, you should hire an experienced wrongful death attorney from your area. Your attorney will review your case, prove negligence, calculate all the damages and ensure you get fair compensation.
