Wrongful Death (Noun)
Meaning
A death that results from a wrongful act or from negligence; a death that can serve as the basis for a civil action for damages on behalf of the dead person's family or heirs.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- The lawyer specialized in cases involving wrongful death and personal injury resulting from car accidents.
- Her husband's family was entitled to sue for wrongful death due to the negligence of the driver who hit him.
- In most jurisdictions, only immediate family members of the deceased may file a lawsuit for wrongful death.
- He argued that his son's death in the prison was a clear case of wrongful death, due to neglect and cruel indifference on the part of the corrections staff.
- By agreeing to the settlement, the widow's children effectively relinquished their rights to further compensation in connection with the wrongful death claim.