The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult and emotionally taxing times in a person's life. If the family member or loved one perished not because of illness or an accident but because of carelessness or negligence on the part of another person, the devastation can be far greater. Fortunately, claims for issues such as wrongful death exist, helping surviving relatives and loved ones ensure responsibility for the ill-fated passing of a loved one.
Wrongful death is a claim against a person who can be held liable for the death, even though there was no direct intention to kill. For the claim to stand, the person must be deemed negligent or strictly liable for the demise of the deceased. Additionally, for the suit to legally hold up
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Under original common law, a wrongful death claim was believed impossible to file because the claim died with the victim, thereby eliminating any potential course of reimbursement for damages. However, over the years, states have drafted their own wrongful death statutes. Although each state's law varies slightly, they generally consist of four common elements. First, the death was caused, in whole or in part, by the defendant. Next, the defendant was negligent or liable for the victim's passing. A surviving spouse, child, or relative of the deceased must be present and monetary damages must have resulted from the victim's death.
Financial damages recoverable in this type of lawsuit include medical, hospital, funeral, and burial expenses, compensation for pain and suffering, and losses to the kin, including loss of financial support from the deceased, loss of parental guiding and training, loss of companionship, and loss of service. An unfortunate side effect of wrongful death cases is that living family members must often jockey for control of the estate of the victim, oftentimes affecting the distribution of financial