4 Most Common Causes Of Wrongful Death
Corbin Sutter
Accident Lawyers
Death is something that everyone must eventually face, but some deaths are much harder to accept than others. Death at the end of a long life, having raised a family and finally succumbed to the rigors of age, for example, is something that most people can prepare themselves to face and move on from. The death of a child, however, in a sense, and preventable accident, can be a lifelong trauma for the survivors.Wrongful death is the latter type of loss of life. The term “wrongful death” implies that this is a death that should, under ordinary circumstances, should not have happened and, with appropriate precautions, probably wouldn’t. Because it did, however, the people responsible for that death are held legally accountable. Here are the four most common causes.
Defective Products
When we buy and use a product, it comes with a certain amount of trust and, in some cases, legally enforceable guarantees. There is an expectation that that product will work as described if used correctly, and not endanger lives.
Sometimes, however, this isn’t the case. Defective products, even kitchen items, can sometimes cause a loss of life. Faulty wiring in a product can result in lethal electrocution, for example. Or the safety airbag in a car uses inferior parts, so that when it activates, it explodes like a fragment grenade, taking lives, rather than saving them.
Premises Liability
Premises liability is when the owners or managers of a property have a fundamental legal obligation to ensure a safe environment for visitors. If there is a precaution that should be taken and property owners ignore this, if an injury or death arises due to that negligence, that’s wrongful death through premises liability.
Typical examples of premises liability include children drowning in swimming pools due to lack of supervision, or fatalities from firearms that are not stored to deny access. In the case of public spaces, death through improper maintenance or repair of amusement park rides, for example, is another instance of wrongful death.
Workplace Accidents
It’s not unusual for many people to spend eight or more hours of their day at work. As a result, sometimes preventable accidents can happen here that may be fatal. This is especially true in high-risk occupations such as those working in construction, or even in the forests, for lumberjacks.
Vehicular Accidents
This is the number one cause of wrongful death in America. Because so many of us are on the road, there is a danger of accidents and death due to cars, motorcycles, and especially large 18-wheeler trucks on the road. All it takes is a moment of inattention, or, in some cases, consuming alcohol or drugs before taking to the road for an accident to occur that takes lives.
Because of this, many men, women, and children of all ages have lost their lives in wrongful death accidents related to vehicles. Even when they’re not in a car, such as children crossing a street, a vehicle-related fatality can still occur.
If you’re the victim of a lost loved one due to wrongful death, we can help. Talk to one of our wrongful death lawyers about your next legal move to get justice and closure.