There are many ways that someone may recklessly or negligently cause the death of someone else — and what might be a crime in some situations may simply be called an “unfortunate accident” in others. Sometimes the lines are so blurred that it’s hard to say if a crime was committed. That’s when a wrongful death lawsuit can come into play. A wrongful death lawsuit can hold someone responsible for the preventable death of another — even when there’s been no legal crime committed.
For example, some former soldiers who died at a Virginia veterans’ affairs facility are the subjects of a pair of wrongful death lawsuits alleging improper medical care. The two victims and ten others may have received fatal doses of insulin even though they did not suffer from a disease requiring this drug as a treatment.
A prosecutor in neighboring West Virginia initiated a criminal investigation and convened a grand jury regarding this matter. A person of interest was being sought in this case but no one has yet been charged.
The case is complicated by the fact that one of the parties accused of being responsible has since passed away. However, managers and owners of health care facilities may be liable due to shortcomings in the recruitment or training of staff. They may also have failed to provide workers with the right tools or systems to succeed.
An attorney can help the survivors of people killed in accidents or by other causes figure out if a wrongful death lawsuit is a good idea to exact financial damages. Although this sort of claim may feel hollow, it can be an important step towards recovery for a victim’s family and other survivors.