Common Causes of Wrongful Death
When a person is killed because of someone else’s carelessness, a wrongful death case emerges. The victim’s family has a right to sue the negligent person for damages, including medical bills, funeral expenses and lost income. Unfortunately wrongful deaths occur on a daily basis in the U.S. Let’s take a look at the most common causes of wrongful death:
Medical Malpractice
When we go into a hospital or doctor’s office, we expect to come out feeling better. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Medical professionals can sometimes make mistakes that result in serious injuries or death in patients. Common types of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication mistakes and anesthesia errors.
Car Accidents
A large number of wrongful deaths result from car accidents. Many of these accidents are due to driver error. For example, if a driver is driving drunk, he or she won’t be able to think clearly and have trouble focusing on the road, increasing the risk of an accident. Other types of driver error include distracted driving, speeding, fatigued driving and improper vehicle maintenance.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians don’t have any kind of protection when involved in a crash with a motor vehicle, so they are often seriously injured or killed. Common causes of pedestrian accidents include reckless driving, lack of pedestrian walkways and low visibility.
Truck Accidents
Truck accidents don’t occur more often than car crashes, but they do frequently result in death. This is because commercial trucks are so much bigger and heavier than standard vehicles. The impact of being hit by such a powerful vehicle is likely to cause serious injuries and death. Truck collisions are more likely to occur if a truck driver is speeding, fatigued, not properly trained or distracted.
Workplace Accidents
Wrongful deaths can also occur on the job. These are more likely to occur in workplaces with heavy machinery and other hazards. For example, if a factory worker gets caught in a machine, it will likely result in severe injuries or death.
Products Liability
Product manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their products are safe for the public to use. When they fail to do this, people can get seriously harmed. For instance, if a car manufacturer build a vehicle with a faulty part, the person who drives it can get into a serious accident and get killed.
Criminal Acts
Wrongful deaths can also result from intentional acts. If a person purposely kills someone else, he or she doesn’t just face criminal charges. He or she may also get sued by the victim’s family in civil court.
If your loved one was killed because of the negligence of someone else, you may want to speak to a wrongful death attorney such as the personal injury lawyer Salt Lake City UT locals turn to. While nothing makes up for your family member’s death, a skilled lawyer can help you sue for compensation, relieving some of your burden. The majority of wrongful death lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if you win your case.
Thanks to authors at Rasmussen Miner for insight into Personal Injury Law.