Types of Wrongful Death Accidents
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks wrongful death lawyer. Wrongful death occurs when an individual dies because of the negligent actions of another person or entity such as a company. Let’s take a look at the different actions that can result in a wrongful death.
Different Types of Wrongful Death
Although a wrongful death might occur in any number of ways, the following are the most common.
- Motor vehicle accidents: Driver error causes the majority of motor vehicle crashes. Some of the reasons include speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving and disobeying traffic laws. When a driver disregards the safety of others while behind the wheel, is a negligent action.
- Motorcycle accidents: Those who ride motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to accident injuries and death when involved in a collision caused by the negligent driver of a motor vehicle. Fatalities may also occur due to road defects or other negligence on the part of a city, county, state or federal government.
- Defective products: Products sold to consumers are supposed to be safe and effective. Sometimes they may be dangerous and cause injury or death. Errors may range from pharmaceutical company negligence in the production, strength or labeling of medicines to hazardous products meant for children. Others include medical devices and foods that have been contaminated or lack warning labels for those with severe allergies.
- Truck accidents: These types of accidents can result from driver error, causing a jackknifing accident, lack of maintenance, fatigue, badly balanced load and other reasons.
- Work accidents: Employee safety at a workplace is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When an employer is negligent in providing required safety measures, wrongful death may be the result.
- Medical malpractice: Medical errors are the third largest cause of death in the United States. Common medical errors include prescription and dosage mistakes, errors made during childbirth, surgical errors and misdiagnosis.
- Slips and Falls: Accidents of this type resulting from a wrongful death are often in the workplace but may occur on private or public properties or in nursing homes.
- Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrian deaths in California due to traffic accidents totaled 6,616 in the nine-year period up to 2014, according to Streetsblog CAL.
- Bicycle accidents: In 2016, 835 bicycle riders died in crashes with motor vehicles as reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The number represents the highest fatalities of bicycle riders since 1991.
Motor Vehicle Deaths on the Rise
According to the National Safety Council, 2016 saw the highest rate of deaths from motor vehicle accidents in nine years with a 6-percent increase since the previous year. The 40,200 people who died on the nation’s roads is a provisional estimate and may be higher than previous estimates. Injuries from motor vehicle crashes are estimated to have increased by 7 percent over the previous year to 4.6 million. The NSC made recommendations to help decrease the number of injuries and fatalities:
- Automated enforcement of traffic laws
- Comprehensive programs to improve the safety of pedestrians
- Increase the enforcement of laws pertaining to seat belts
- Ban all cell phone use inside motor vehicles
- Improve education to prevent drunk driving, and mandate ignition interlocks for offenders
- Improve automobile safety features by mandating life-saving equipment such as automatic braking, warning alarms for lane departure and monitoring of blind spots.
Fair Oaks Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks wrongful death lawyer. Unsafe or defective products, car, and pedestrian accidents cause many injuries and unnecessary deaths each year. If you lost a family member due to negligence, I can offer friendly, free advice. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400. I can also be reached at AutoAccident.com through our online contact form.
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As a Million Dollar Advocates California member, I join other trial attorneys who have won their clients verdicts or settlements of a minimum of $1 million.
Over my 36 year career, it has been an honor for me to have assisted many Fair Oaks residents as an injury lawyer, as well as those around Northern California, to get fair compensation for their personal injuries. I represent many areas of personal injuries, including traumatic injuries such as brain injuries and auto accidents.
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