Losing a family member unexpectedly can be one of the most heartbreaking things you go through in life. It is even worse if your loved one’s death was due to someone’s negligence and could have been prevented. You and other Washington residents may rightly want to know what qualifies as wrongful death and if you might be able to get compensation.
The Balance defines wrongful death as a fatality that occurs when someone was in some way negligent or involved in misconduct. Common forms of wrongful death include vehicular accidents in which the responsible party was intoxicated, driving recklessly or engaging in road rage. A wrongful death case might be related to professional misconduct, such as a doctor or nurse making a mistake that led to your family member’s death. If an armed robbery occurred and your loved one was shot and killed, that might also count as wrongful death.
You be must be able to show that the death of your family member resulted in monetary injury – for example, your loved one’s funeral expenses, medical bills or lost wages are causing hardship for your family. The next step would be to appoint a representative for your loved one’s estate – meaning you would be taking the other party to court on the behalf of your deceased family member.
The death of a loved one is a tragedy, but a wrongful death claim may help to bring you a sense of closure. It is important to note that the content in this blog is meant for informational purposes and should not replace the advice of an attorney.