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Causes of Wrongful Death

Discover How Negligence Causes Wrongful Death & the Options for Justice

Wrongful death can be caused by a number of different incidents and catastrophic injuries. The one factor that all wrongful death cases have in common, however, is that negligence is somehow involved. That negligence can arise in various ways and at the hands of several different parties.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most common causes of wrongful death, who’s to blame, and what families need to know about pursuing justice and wrongful death claims.

What Types of Deadly Accidents Can Result in Wrongful Death?

Wrongful death can occur in accidents or incidents like (but not limited to):

  • Motor vehicle accidents, including car crashes, pedestrian incidents, and 18-wheeler wrecks
  • Industrial accidents, like heavy equipment accidents and crushing incidents
  • Falls, including both slip and falls, as well as falls from elevated areas
  • Fires and explosions occurring at private or public premises
  • Aviation accidents, including airplane accidents and helicopter crashes
  • Boating accidents, like recreational watercraft accidents
  • Exposures to electricity or live currents
  • Toxic exposures, like exposures to deadly levels of carbon monoxide

Some of these incidents could result in multiple wrongful deaths, especially when factors like (but not limited to) the following are involved:

  • Accidents during rush hour or in high-traffic areas
  • High pedestrian traffic areas
  • Equipment defects and recalls
  • Poorly maintained equipment
  • Failures to remediate or properly contain toxic substances
  • Mass panic and stampedes
  • Toxic releases

After any accident that results in a wrongful death, it’s critical that surviving loved ones investigate the accident — ideally with the help of an experienced wrongful death lawyer — to figure out who’s at fault and how to hold them responsible.

What Types of Injuries Can Result in Wrongful Death?

Various types of catastrophic injuries could be fatal and end up being the basis of wrongful death claims. These include (and aren’t limited to):

  • Blunt force trauma
  • Burns
  • Bone fractures
  • Head injury
  • Electrocution
  • Internal injuries
  • Loss of limbs
  • Neck injuries
  • Severe lacerations
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

These injuries can be fatal the instant they occur, or they could result in death in the days, weeks, or even months following the incident that caused the injury. Regardless, the party at fault for causing those injuries can be held accountable via a wrongful death case.

How to Investigate the Causes of Wrongful Death

Investigating wrongful deaths can involve extensive and intensive work, like (but not limited to):

  • Preserving and gathering all available evidence: Depending on the fatal event, this evidence could include accident reports, debris from the incident, surveillance footage, and a whole lot more.
  • Revisiting the accident or incident scene: This can involve taking photos and videos, drone footage, taking measurements, talking to those at the scene, and looking for additional evidence.
  • Retaining experts: From accident reconstructionists to toxicologists, medical professionals, data recovery experts, and beyond, experts may be able to help interpret and explain the evidence. That could go a long way towards strengthening a case and positioning it for a successful resolution.
  • Reinterviewing eyewitnesses: Accounts from any eyewitnesses to the fatal incident could help connect more dots about how the fatal accident happened. These interviews may also uncover new information and/or evidence to support the wrongful death case.

Taking investigative action with a wrongful death attorney by your side can be the best way to build the strongest possible case — and it will likely give you better chances of winning that case. That’s because a wrongful death lawyer will typically know what to look for, how to stand up to the defendants, and how to get them to pay for the irreversible harm and pain they have caused.

When Should I Talk to a Wrongful Death Attorney?

Speak to a wrongful death lawyer as soon as you can because:

  • You don’t have unlimited time to file a case: The clock starts counting down as soon as the death occurs, and Texas law only provides two years to pursue wrongful death cases.
  • Others may be getting a head start on their defense: If a business or insurance company is expecting a wrongful death case to be filed, they could already be working on putting together a solid defense. And they could even be trying to make it more difficult for you to bring a claim by getting rid of potential evidence (i.e, surveillance video). The longer you wait to notify them of a case, the more time they may get to secure the upper hand and make it more challenging for you to prove your wrongful death claim.
  • A wrongful death attorney can immediately help you: As you focus on dealing with the trauma of your loss, a wrongful death lawyer can take action to assert your rights, craft a strong case, and handle all of the heavy lifting that’s needed to recover the compensation entitled to the family.

Remember, experienced wrongful death lawyers work on contingency, so you never have to take on more financial burdens in order to seek the justice and financial recovery you may be entitled to.