Losing a loved one is a tragic event, no matter the circumstances involved. When a person’s life is lost due to another individual’s careless choice and the death could have been prevented, it can even be more difficult to come to terms with the loss.
Below are six common wrongful death cases.
Car Accidents
In 2016, approximately 37,000 people lost their lives in tragic car accidents in the US. These accidents result from reckless driving, speeding, road defects, drunk driving, auto defects, road repair, construction activity, distracted driving, and many other causes.
On top of the loss of a loved one, grieving family members often suffer financially from income loss, property damage, funeral expenses, and heavy medical bills.
Truck Accidents
Semi trucks are incredibly dangerous on our highways. It’s estimated that around 500,000 trucking accidents occur each year in the United States. Of these, approximately 5,000 trucking accidents result in deaths.
Often, driver error and negligence can result in a devastating accident. Aggressive driving, mechanical defects, truck company negligence, driving while intoxicated, driving during adverse conditions, and hauling with an overweight load can all have deadly repercussions.
Medical Malpractice
Most doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are extremely careful when dealing with patients. However, there are times when healthcare professionals cut corners or fail to follow proper procedures. As a result, people lose their lives.
In fact, an analysis published in the BMJ shows that “medical errors in hospitals and other health-care facilities are incredibly common and may now be the third-leading cause of death in the United States — claiming 251,000 lives every year.”
Examples of medical malpractice include birth injury, defective medical devices, delayed and improper treatment, misdiagnosis, pharmaceutical errors, surgical errors, and lack of informed consent.
Defective Products
While a majority of manufacturers work hard to ensure that their products are safe, there are times when they fail to produce safe products. Examples of wrongful death due to defective products include defective vehicles, toxic food products and containers, dangerous toys and other childcare products or pharmaceuticals.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian-related auto accidents are likely to cause fatalities because a pedestrian has limited or no protection. Driver negligence or distraction is generally the common cause of these accidents. Sometimes a city or county can be liable in situations where the driver couldn’t see the pedestrian due to a lack of visible pedestrian walkways.
In 2015, 5,376 people were killed in pedestrian/motor vehicle crashes. That’s nearly 15 people killed every day of the year.
Accidents at Work
People tend to think that deadly workplace accidents occur only in dangerous working environments such as construction sites or in other manual labor jobs such as roofing, when in actuality it can even happen in an office environment. Some examples of wrongful death work cases include accidents in manufacturing, transportation, railroad, barge or towboat accidents, and asbestos and mesothelioma.
In 2016, 4,821 workers were killed on the job in the United States. What’s more, an estimated 50,000 people died from occupational diseases. As many as 150 workers die each day from hazardous working conditions.
If your family has suffered a wrongful death, you should consult an experienced attorney to guide you through this difficult process.