Wrongful death in US law is when a person dies due to the willful or negligent actions of another person or entity. According to the CDC, over 200,000 people die every year due to unintentional or accidental causes.
Such deaths can cause immense emotional and financial damage to the families affected. Punitive damages are awarded in some wrongful death cases to punish the defendant for their reckless actions.
Hiring a lawyer to handle wrongful deaths is advisable, as the law around these cases can get complicated.
How punitive damages can reduce wrongful deaths
The purpose of awarding punitive damages is to punish the defendant for reckless actions and to deter similar incidents from happening in the future. To understand how this can be applied in the case of wrongful deaths, you need to understand what wrongful death cases are under US law.
An overview of a wrongful death case
Wrongful deaths can happen under different circumstances, including:
- Automobile accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Defective products
- Medical Malpractice
Wrongful death cases are similar to personal injury cases in that plaintiffs can sue defendants for wrongdoing. Plaintiffs are required to prove that the defendant acted in a negligent manner that led to the death of the victim.
Wrongful death cases are civil cases, but they can lead to criminal indictments like manslaughter. A wrongful death case can only be brought by the immediate family or relatives of the deceased. It can also be brought by the lawyer or representative of the deceased person.
The sudden death of a family member can have a significant impact on loved ones. This can include:
- Severe emotional trauma
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of income
- Mental health disorders like PTSD and depression
- Legal fees to handle lawsuits resulting from the sudden death
- Disrupted lives. E.g., children being unable to continue school due to financial loss
- Long-term emotional impact
- Loss of interest in life
The death of a loved one can bring with it severe and numerous losses, and those impacted by it have the right to sue for damages. Typically, surviving family or relatives, like spouses, children, parents, or siblings, can sue the defendant for losses sustained. Damages are classified into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover any direct financial losses, such as income loss, legal fees, or medical costs. Things that are harder to quantify, like emotional damages, are compensated under non-economic damages.
How punitive damages work
In addition to economic and non-economic damages in wrongful death cases, the victims may be awarded punitive damages. This is to punish the defendant for acts that are deemed excessively negligent. Punitive damages aren’t awarded often, but they aren’t unheard of.
In order for punitive damages to be awarded, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant acted in gross negligence. This means they have to prove that:
- The conduct was hazardous
- The defendant’s actions were in complete disregard for the safety of others
The damages awarded depend on the degree of misconduct by the defendant. Each state has its own variation on how these damages are awarded.
For example, some states choose the least amount possible, while others require the plaintiff to split the damages awarded with the state.
Usually, punitive damages are limited to nine times the total damages (economic and non-economic damages) awarded in the case. Punitive damages are taxable, but not those awarded for wrongful deaths.
One example of punitive damages is the McGee v. General Motors case in 1998. The case exposed a hidden defect in General Motors’ fuel tank design. A car driven by a family of four exploded when it was hit by a trailer, causing one person to die and three others to suffer severe burn injuries. It was revealed through later investigations that a flaw in the design of the gas tank caused it to explode.
The survivors of the accident had to undergo intensive surgery to recover from their injuries. The court awarded the plaintiffs $60 million to compensate for their damages.
How punitive damages can serve to reduce wrongful deaths
Now that you understand what wrongful death is and how punitive damages are awarded, let’s look at how punitive damages can be used to minimise wrongful deaths.
Firstly, wrongful death is a loss of valuable human life, and to the families of the victim, it is an immeasurable loss. Punitive damages can alleviate the family’s suffering by serving as a measure of justice and holding wrongdoers accountable.
Punitive damages can also support bereaved families through direct financial compensation. This can provide the family with some cover in their moment of grief and compensate for any medical, legal, or funeral service costs they have to bear. Additional damages could cover educational expenses for children in special cases.
In product liability cases, like the McGee v. General Motors case, it holds companies accountable and encourages them to follow strict safety standards. Without any accountability, these organisations would continue to follow hazardous practices, which would increase the number of deaths.
When the court orders companies to pay for such practices, it serves as a warning to other companies to follow strict safety checks, especially when producing products that could endanger the lives of their customers. As a result, it improves the safety standards companies follow and drastically reduces the number of wrongful deaths.
Punitive damages educate the public on dangerous products, like tobacco use or damage caused by big oil companies. If these companies were never held liable for the effects of using their products, the public would never know the extent of the damage they caused.
Cases like Williams v. Phillip Morris Inc. serve to hold companies accountable for their actions and educate the public on the lethal consequences of using certain products, like tobacco in this case. It also shows organisations that they cannot get away with unethical practices.
The reckless actions of repeat offenders can also be stopped with punitive damages, as people often continue their atrocious behavior if there is no deterrent. For example, a serial offender in hit-and-run cases or drunk driving cases may continue their irresponsible behavior unless they are seriously punished.
Punitive damages also serve as a warning to the general public that acts of extreme negligence will not go unpunished by the law. They also signal to companies that they are responsible for ensuring the safety of their consumers and must stick to strict standards or risk being punished for negligence.
Conclusion
Every state has its own interpretation of punitive damages, and while they are rarely awarded, punitive damages serve as a deterrent to future criminal actions. When awarded in wrongful death cases, punitive damages serve as a catalyst for improving industry standards and holding companies and individuals accountable for their actions. This prevents many unnecessary deaths in the long run.
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