Any time a driver is negligent, a fatal crash can occur.

Not every accidental death is a wrongful death. Instead, wrongful death is a legal term that means that the fatality was caused by the negligent or intentional actions of someone other than the person who died. If a wrongful death is proven by the decedent’s estate then the estate may be able to recover important compensation for things such as medical costs, funeral expenses, lost income, pain, suffering, and other damages.

When to Consider a Wrongful Death Case in Iowa

If your loved one has died in any of the following types of accidents, then it is possible that a wrongful death has occurred. These accidents include:

  • Bicycle accidents. Drivers owe a duty of care to everyone who is legally on the road with them—including bicyclists. If a driver’s negligence causes a crash that kills a bicyclist then a wrongful death lawsuit may be possible.
  • Car accidents. Any time a driver is negligent a fatal crash can occur. This includes drowsy driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, drunk driving accidents, and other types of crashes.
  • Dog bites. Infection and excessive bleeding are just two ways that a dog bite can result in a fatality.
  • Motorcycle accidents. Car and truck drivers may not watch for motorcyclists and may cause catastrophic crashes that result in the death of a rider.
  • Negligent security incidents. A property owner has a duty to keep visitors, customers, and clients safe while on his property. When the owner to provide reasonable security and a fatal incident occurs, then he may have liability for the wrongful death.
  • Nursing home abuse. Nursing homes have a duty to keep residents safe. When nursing home workers breach that duty of care and a resident dies as a result, then the resident’s estate may have a wrongful death claim.
  • Pedestrian accidents. Walkers have a legal right to be on most local roads. A motorist’s negligence can result in a pedestrian’s wrongful death.
  • Pharmaceutical injuries. Some drugs and medical devices are defective because of a failure to design a safe product, a failure to manufacture a safe product, or a failure to warn patients and doctors of potential risks. When a patient dies because of a pharmaceutical company’s negligence, then the patient’s estate may have a wrongful death claim.
  • Premises liability injuries. Swimming pool drownings, electrical fires, and other accidents on someone else’s property could result in a fatality and a wrongful death claim.
  • Slip and fall accidents. Death is not the most common injury suffered in a slip and fall accident. However, a brain injury, spinal cord injury, or other type of serious injury could result in a fatality.
  • Truck accidents. A negligent trucker or trucking company can cause a serious crash that results in the wrongful death of another motorist, passenger, or pedestrian.

It is important to think about a potential wrongful death claim and to investigate the true cause of your loved one’s death after any one of these incidents.

This can be difficult to do, but you do not need to do it alone. Instead, you have the right to contact an experienced Iowa wrongful death lawyer who knows what questions to ask, what evidence to look for, and what arguments to make after a wrongful death accident and who will not hesitate to fight hard for your fair and just recovery. To schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys, please reach out to us any time, day or night, via this website or by phone.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.