Most Common Causes of Wrongful Death

Accidents are the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disorders. Deaths due to unintentional injuries are not always cause for wrongful death lawsuits, although many of them are.

Technically, any death that is brought about by the carelessness or deliberate action of another party can give rise to a civil lawsuit. Nonetheless, some wrongful death claims are more frequent than others. The most typical causes of wrongful death are those listed below, both in Hawaii and the United States as a whole:

• Traffic Accidents. In the United States, traffic accidents claim the lives of more than 30,000 people annually. 2022 saw Hawaii’s traffic fatalities surge by more than 20%. Even though some of these incidents aren’t the result of anyone’s negligence, a sizable portion of them are the fault of other parties, including other drivers, automakers, trucking companies, mechanics, and municipalities.

• Medical Malpractice. Medical errors and negligence are estimated to cause at least 90,000 deaths annually in the United States. While only a small percentage of these deaths are followed by loved ones filing lawsuits, one way to help prevent future medical errors is to seek justice following a deadly medical mistake.

• Dangerous and Defective Drugs. Thousands of people die each year as a result of unsafe drugs and negligent drug manufacturers — despite FDA rules that consumers expect will keep them safe.

• Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse. The utmost care should be given to our kupuna in their later years. Yet, abuse and neglect in nursing homes is not only frequent, but frequently fatal. These situations frequently involve malnutrition, bedsores, falls, improper use of medical restraints, and even assault.

• Premises Liability. If a fatal accident takes place on someone else’s property and the property owner knew or should have known how to prevent the tragedy, they may be held responsible for the death.

• Workplace Accidents. Even with all of the state and federal standards in place to keep workers safe, workplace accidents still occur every day. While some tragic workplace accidents are the result of employee irresponsibility, others are brought on by careless or irresponsible employers who may also choose to decrease costs in an effort to boost profits.

Just a few of the most typical causes of death in wrongful death claims are listed here. You should talk to a skilled Hawaii wrongful death attorney about your case if you think that your loved one’s death should have or could have been avoided, regardless of the type of accident or death.