Wrongful Death

What is “Wrongful Death”?

“Wrongful death” is the area of law that addresses situations where a person dies as the result of the negligence of another person.

A wrongful death claim can arise out of a variety of different types of incidents such as car accidents, medical malpractice and construction accidents, among many other types of situations.

The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that there are over 120,000 unintentional injury deaths each year, making it the number 5 most common cause of death in the United States. A subset of unintentional injury deaths is unintentional poisoning deaths. The Center for Disease Control reports that there are over 33,000 such deaths every year.

What is the Law in Connecticut on Wrongful Death Claims?

Connecticut law provides the deceased person’s estate can pursue a wrongful death claim against any negligent parties that caused the decedent’s death. Compensation from wrongful death lawsuits can help to compensate for medical costs, funeral expenses, damages for the death itself, damages for conscious pain and suffering prior to death, damages for the destruction of the capacity to carryon life’s activities, including destruction of future earning capacity and destruction of the capacity to enjoy life’s activities. In addition, a surviving spouse may also be entitled to make a claim for loss of consortium, which is the loss of the love, companionship, society, affection and sexual relations of the deceased spouse.

Who Would Qualify to Bring a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

If your family member or spouse has died as a result of the fault of another person, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Connecticut law provides that the cause of action belongs to the decedent alone, which means that the executor or administrator of the estate, usually the surviving spouse or a family member, would institute the wrongful death lawsuit.

A wrongful death case should not be taken lightly. You should contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Attorney Foley will be able to discuss your case with you and make recommendations on all of your legal options regarding your wrongful death claim.

If you would like to speak with us about a potential wrongful death suit, please fill out the consultation form or call us at (203) 250-7212. We will be able to consider your particular situation and help you decide whether to file a claim.