The death of a close family member is heartbreaking regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death. However, when a loved one is killed due to the negligent, careless, or intentional acts of another party, the loss can be even more tragic. Not only do surviving loved ones have to deal with their personal loss, they must also manage the financial loss caused by the death. Fortunately, surviving family members of the deceased may be entitled to compensation for their losses through a wrongful death claim.

When is a Person’s Death Considered a Wrongful Death?

Not every unexpected death is considered a wrongful death. The Illinois Wrongful Death Act states that a wrongful death is a death caused by “wrongful act, neglect, or default.” If the deceased person, should he or she have survived his or her injuries, would have been able to pursue damages through a personal injury lawsuit, then the representative of the deceased person is permitted to pursue damages through a wrongful death lawsuit. There are almost countless situations that may lead to a wrongful death claim.

Wrongful deaths may be caused by:

No one ever wants to visit an emergency room, but sometimes there is no other choice. When an immediate medical problem such as severe chest pain or difficulty breathing arises, the emergency room is the fastest way to receive treatment. However, emergency room staff are not perfect and sometimes they make mistakes. Some of these emergency room errors are relatively harmless while others have the potential to cause devastating or even fatal consequences. If you or a loved one have suffered from an emergency room mistake, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim.

Understanding How ER Errors Occur

It is estimated that roughly 5-10 percent of all emergency room visits involve some type of medical error. This equates to as many as 10 million ER mistakes every year in the United States. While not all such errors will cause lasting damage, some can be extremely serious. 

Some of the most common emergency room errors include:

The human body is an incredible machine. Bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves all work in harmony to allow us to move around and respond to our environment. The back is an especially intricate part of the body. Damage to the spinal cord, vertebrae, cartilage, back muscles, or other parts of the back can lead to excruciating pain and reduced movement that may last years if not a lifetime. If you or a loved one have recently suffered a back injury, you should know what your legal options for pursuing compensation are.

Types of Back Injuries

If you have experienced severe back pain, you know just how miserable it can be. Working, maintaining your home, caring for children, enjoying hobbies, or even finding a comfortable resting position may be nearly impossible. There are many different types of back injuries that can cause this type of suffering including:

• Herniated disc: When the discs that cushion vertebrae become damaged, the soft nucleus of the spinal disc can push out past the exterior annulus. Also called slipped disc or ruptured disc, a herniated disc can cause pain, weakness, and numbness.
• Compressed nerve: Pinched nerves can cause painful and debilitating conditions including lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica)
• Back strain: Damage to the back muscles or tendons, sometimes called a “pulled back,” can be caused by trauma or overuse
• Back sprain: Stretched or torn ligaments in the back can cause muscle spasms, decreased range of motion, and pain
• Broken vertebrae: Broken or fractured vertebrae including spinal compression fractures can lead to incontinence, urinary retention, pain, numbness, weakness, and severe pain

Seeking Compensation for a Back Injury

Back injuries may be a result of a car accident, truck accident, bicycle accident, slip and fall, workplace accident, or another incident. If you hurt your back in an accident caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation. You could be reimbursed for the costs associated with your injury including medical bills, ongoing and future medical care, lost income, and more. You may also be eligible to receive compensation for your pain and suffering.

Losing a loved one is difficult no matter the circumstances. However, if the loved one’s death was preventable, the loss is especially heartbreaking and infuriating. Sadly, it is estimated that medical errors result in the deaths of over 250,000 people per year in the United States. This makes medical mistakes the third-leading cause of death. 

If you have lost a loved one and you suspect medical negligence played a role in his or her death, you may wonder when a doctor or medical facility is liable for a patient’s death. If your loved one’s death was the result of medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for your loss.

Proving That a Wrongful Death Was Caused by Medical Malpractice

Sometimes, a patient passes away and there is nothing that doctors and other medical workers could have done to prevent the death. However, this is not always the case. Failure to diagnose a medical condition or misdiagnosis, medication and anesthesia mistakes, surgical errors, or other forms of substandard medical treatment may result in the injury or death of a patient. 

In Illinois, individuals who are hurt in auto accidents caused by recklessness or intentional wrongdoing may choose to bring a personal injury claim against the party responsible for the accident. Often, people assume that car accident injury claims are brought by an injured driver against another driver. However, the claimant in a personal injury case may be an injured driver, passenger, or a pedestrian. A passenger hurt in an accident may bring a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver even if the at-fault driver was operating the vehicle the passenger was riding in. If you or a loved one were hurt in an auto accident caused by negligence, read on to learn about your right to pursue compensation.

Who is Liable for an Injury-Causing Accident?

Traffic accidents are rarely black and white. There may be a number of factors that led to the accident. Driver inattention, speeding or violation of traffic laws, driving under the influence of alcohol, hazardous weather conditions, and many other elements could all contribute to a serious wreck. It is also possible that more than one person’s actions may have contributed to the accident. 

If you were hurt while riding in a vehicle and the driver of the vehicle you were in is considered to be the at-fault party, you may be hesitant to file a personal injury lawsuit. The at-fault driver may be a good friend, colleague, or even a family member. However, it is essential to understand that an injury claim is not a personal attack on the at-fault driver. In the majority of personal injury claims, the injured party is bringing the claim not against the actual person but against his or her insurance company.