St. Louis Wrongful Death Car Accident – Filing a Claim

The pain of losing a loved one is intensified when the loss is caused by another’s negligence.

Wrongful death is defined as a death caused by an action of another person in which the victim would have been able to file a personal injury claim to recover any financial compensation for the injuries sustained. A victim’s survivors have the legal right to pursue a wrongful death claim on the victim’s behalf.

Types of Accidents Classified As Wrongful Death

Wrongful death is a death caused by the negligent action of someone else, such as when:

• a driver rear-ends a motorcycle or another car because he or she got drowsy or fell asleep behind the wheel
• a driver fails to stop the vehicle when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk
• a driver is speeding and runs down a pedestrian or cyclist

There are several other situations in which a wrongful death may occur. The ones listed above are just a few examples.

Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

In Missouri, there are rules concerning who is eligible to file a wrongful death claim. The first person generally eligible is the surviving spouse. If there is no living spouse, a child, grandchild, or surviving sibling may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit. An appointed personal representative may also bring the lawsuit if there are no representatives related to the victim. In the absence of a personal representative, the court may appoint a “plaintiff ad litem.”

Types of Damages

Types of damages that can be claimed in a wrongful death lawsuit include:

• medical treatment expenses if the deceased received medical treatment
• funeral expenses
• pain and suffering the deceased experienced before succumbing to injuries
• the monetary value of potential wages earned if still alive
• loss of consortium, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training, and support the deceased person provided to his or her family

Survivors can also receive damages if the deceased person provided elder or child care to another family member at least 50 percent of the time. There is generally no limit on a wrongful death claim for non-economic damages such as those related to pain and suffering.