Wrongful Death Law
When a person is killed because of misconduct, a claim for wrongful death may arise. The misconduct can be negligence or carelessness, as in an automobile accident, or can be an intentional or reckless act. The death can be caused by another person or by a corporation.
When a wrongful death occurs the law provides a remedy by compensating the person's survivors. Compensation can obtained for the victim's pain and suffering before they died, and for the monetary loss to the victim's survivors or dependents. The law determines the identity of those entitled to compensation in a wrongful death claim. For example, a person's spouse and minor children would typically have a right to recover for wrongful death.
Any person who believes he or she may be a survivor or beneficiary when a person dies may be entitled to compensation because of wrongful death and has a right to start an investigation of a potential claim. Sometimes the person most likely to investigate a claim, such as a widow, is not willing to look into the matter. When that happens, any survivor or beneficiary has a right to start the investigation and the wrongful death claim. The survivor should contact an attorney experienced in handling wrongful death claims.
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