Difference Between Personal Injury Cases and Wrongful Death Cases

29 August
2020

If you suffered injuries in an accident due to someone else’s negligence or if your loved one died as a result of someone’s negligence, you may have the right to file either a personal injury case or a wrongful death case to receive justice and compensation for your injuries and losses. Understanding the difference between personal injury cases and wrongful cases can help you better understand which type of case is right for you.
Personal Injury vs. Wrongful Death Cases
When you suffer injuries or losses as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. If a person dies as a result of their personal injuries resulting from someone else’s negligence, the family of the deceased person has a legal right to file a wrongful death case. A wrongful death case the same as a personal injury case a victim would file if they had lived after the accident. A family of a victim who dies due to someone else’s negligence may have the legal right to receive compensation for funeral expenses, remaining medical bills, loss of wages, property damage, loss of consortium, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering of the victim.
Types of Personal Injury Cases and Wrongful Death Cases
Many personal injury cases and wrongful death cases stem from similar accidents.. The difference is that in some cases, a victim receives serious injuries (personal injury cases) versus when a victim passes away from their injuries (wrongful death cases). Some of the types of accidents that result in either personal injury cases or wrongful death cases include the following:

Car accidents
Trucking accidents
Motorcycle accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Bicycle accidents
Construction accidents
Manufacturing defects
Defective drugs
Medical malpractice
Railroad deaths
Defective medical devices
Drunk driving accidents
Premises liability accidents
Slip and fall accidents
Nursing home neglect and abuse cases
Product liability cases

Parties Who May File a Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Claim
Any person who suffers injuries as a result of someone else’s negligent, careless, or reckless actions may file a personal injury claim in order to receive compensation for their injuries and losses.

If a person dies as a result of their injuries related to an accident due to someone else’s negligence, some family members may have the legal right to bring a wrongful death claim on behalf of their loved one. In most cases, spouses, children, or siblings of the victim can bring a wrongful death claim. In the instance that none of those parties exist, a court may appoint a plaintiff ad litem to prosecute the negligent party in the wrongful death claim.
Contact an Experienced Attorney Today
If you suffered injuries or if you have a loved one who died as a result of someone else’s negligent actions, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim or wrongful death claim. Consider visiting with our experienced attorneys at The Law Office of Daniel H. Rose. We will work on your behalf to ensure that you received the full compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced attorneys at 415-946-8900 or online today.