Many of the accidents that occur on Illinois roads result in damaged vehicles and injured victims. When those crashes are particularly serious, however, victims may suffer life-threatening harm. If they do not receive the right care in time, they may succumb to their injuries and lose their lives.
Vehicle accident fatalities are truly tragedies. In many cases, the accidents that led to the victims’ deaths could have been prevented by proper attention and care on the part of other drivers. In some cases, drivers may be charged with crimes for their dangerous and irresponsible conduct.
When a person dies in a vehicle accident their loved ones are often left to recover the pieces of their lives and find ways to move forward. This can be particularly challenging if the deceased victim was a breadwinner for the family or otherwise contributed to the emotional or financial health of the family. In certain circumstances, individuals may be able to pursue wrongful death claims to help recover from losing their loved ones.
A wrongful death claim begins with a loss of life that was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another person. Because of that death, relatives of the deceased party must suffer damages, such as financial losses from losing their income or from paying the decedent’s end of life expenses. To pursue a wrongful death claim, a representative often must be put in charge of the deceased party’s estate.
Recovering damages from a wrongful death may be necessary for individuals who lost loved ones who contributed to their financial well-being. Although they do not ease the pain of losing close relatives, wrongful death claims can help families find financial stability in times of hardship.