The Most Common Causes of Wrongful Death

Injuries, be they unintentional or intentional, are the leading cause of death for people under 44. Some injuries are truly “accidents.” Occasionally people walk into doors or momentarily turn their heads the instant a child runs across the street. Usually, however, negligence, or a lack of care, causes wrongful deaths. Legally, drivers must avoid accidents if possible and property owners must establish and maintain safe and secure environments.

If negligence causes injury, a Sugar Land wrongful death lawyer can obtain substantial compensation for wrongful death survivors. In Texas, these damages usually include compensation for pecuniary losses, such as the decedent’s final medical bills, funeral and burial expenses, and lost future economic and emotional support. Usually, personal injury claims settle out of court. Therefore, survivors normally need not go to court to obtain this compensation.

Struck By

The aforementioned pedestrian injuries, as well as related instances, like motorcycle and bicycle crashes, kill many people. Falls kill many people as well, especially if these victims have pre-existing medical conditions.

The dual nature of struck-by injuries illustrates the dual nature of the duty of care, which a Missouri City personal injury lawyer enforces.

In both cases, the legal duty of care is based on the moral story of the Good Samaritan. This man went out of his way to assist an injured traveler.

Similarly, drivers must go out of their way to avoid collisions. It’s easier to speed or drive drunk, but under the duty of care, drivers cannot choose the quick and easy path. As for property owners, if the victim was an invitee (permission to be there and some benefit to the owner, either financial or nonfinancial), owners must go out of their way to ensure the area is free from fall hazards, such as uneven walkways, and other injury hazards, such as broken gates and other security hazards.

Drowning

Swimming pool drownings are the leading cause of death for children under 2. A young child can drown in as little as two or three inches of water. So, the shallow area is not a safe zone.

A Missouri City personal injury lawyer can obtain compensation even if the swimming pool owner displayed a “Swim At Your Own Risk” or other warning signs. Such warning signs simply make a case more difficult to prove.

Swimming pool poisonings are likewise fatal in some cases, usually because of a pre-existing condition. Too much pool chlorine causes chemical burns and too little pool chlorine doesn’t adequately kill dangerous bacteria.

Motor Vehicle Collision

This category usually refers to fatalities among motor vehicle occupants. Today’s cars and trucks have advanced safety features, and today’s vehicles are also bigger and faster than ever. No safety system can possibly absorb all the force of a high-speed collision.

Typically, motor vehicle crashes involve single-occupant vehicles. Many people forget that injured passengers have the same legal and financial rights as injured drivers.

Unintentional Poisoning

Before 2010, these fatal injuries were extremely rare. The opioid epidemic changed the picture dramatically. Unintentional poisonings, according to many calculations, are now the leading cause of injury-related death in Texas.

Usually, many bad decisions made by many people combine to create a tragedy like a drug overdose. At the time of death, the addict voluntarily takes the pills. But addicts don’t appear out of nowhere. Generally, a pharmaceutical company manufactured and marketed a dangerous drug, a doctor wrote a prescription without asking too many questions, a pharmacy mechanically filled the prescription, and a property owner turned a blind eye to drug use.

The party that substantially caused the death is legally responsible for damages. Texas is a modified joint and several liability state. Any party more than 50 percent responsible for the injury, or who acts intentionally, is on the hook for 100 percent of the damages.

Reach Out to a Dedicated Fort Bend County Attorney

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.

Source:

wisqars.cdc.gov/animated-leading-causes/