Although Kentucky is far from the most populous state, it has the sixth-worst accident mortality rate in the country. It’s not clear from the statistics how many of those deaths are due to someone else’s negligence.
In those cases, the laws in Lexington, Kentucky, give the deceased’s personal representative the right to file a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can erase the grief of losing a loved one, this type of claim aims to ease the burdens of the surviving family members and the deceased’s estate.
If you have recently lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, call our Lexington wrongful death lawyers at (859) 413-3900. Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers helps grieving families in Lexington, KY, pursue justice and fair compensation for their unimaginable losses. Reach out to set up a free consultation.
How Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Fatal Accident in Lexington, KY
After you lose someone to a preventable accident caused by another’s negligence, you may need a Lexington wrongful death attorney’s help to navigate your claim. The knowledgeable and aggressive team at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers has successfully recovered millions of dollars in compensation for injury victims.
When you hire our firm, our Lexington personal injury lawyers can support your case by:
- Reviewing the circumstances of your loved one’s death
- Investigating the case to gather evidence
- Filing an insurance claim against the at-fault parties
- Negotiating to settle the claim or filing a lawsuit if the insurer refuses to settle
You may face financial uncertainty and devastating emotional effects after losing a loved one. Contact us today and schedule a free consultation with a Lexington personal injury attorney to learn more about how we can help you right the wrong of your loved one’s death.
Statistics on Accidental Death in Kentucky
Kentucky updates its mortality statistics annually. The most recent report collates data from 2023 due to the time needed for data collection and analysis. This report indicates the following causes of death, which vary by age group, as being particularly prevalent in Kentucky:
Suffocations and Drownings
The leading causes of accidental death for children under four include suffocation and drowning.
Suffocation occurs when something impedes one’s ability to breathe, including:
- External pressure on the chest
- An object blocking the airways
For example, if an infant falls between their crib and mattress, they may suffocate because the pressure on their chest prevents them from inhaling.
Drowning happens when a child can’t breathe due to water filling their airways. These accidental deaths can take place in a bathtub, swimming pool, or lake.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death for victims aged 11–19 and 65–74. It’s the second-leading cause of death for all other victims, except those under four or over 85.
These statistics include all motor vehicle accidents, including single-vehicle crashes and multi-vehicle collisions. Therefore, they would consist of a driver who fell asleep at the wheel and died after hitting a tree, as well as a motorist who T-boned another vehicle while texting and driving.
Pedestrian Accidents
Collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians caused 123 deaths in Kentucky in 2023. This made it the third-leading cause of unintentional death and the seventh-leading cause of injury-related death for people between the ages of 25 and 34.
Falls
Falls are a leading cause of unintentional death starting at age 35. However, the causes are often different based on the victim’s age. Younger victims usually fall at work or while performing home repairs or maintenance, while older victims tend to fall in the home.
Additionally, falls include both elevated falls and same-level falls. Younger people tend to lose their lives due to falls from ladders, scaffolding, or stairs. Older people may die when they fall from a height or slip and fall on ground-level surfaces.
Differences Between Accidental Death and Wrongful Death
Crucially, accidental death and wrongful death aren’t the same. Accidental or unintentional death covers any fatality that happens due to injuries inflicted without homicidal or suicidal intent. For example, if a windstorm blows a tree over and crushes someone to death, it would constitute an unintentional death.
Under Kentucky law, a wrongful death occurs when someone dies due to another party’s negligent or wrongful act.
The surviving loved ones of the victim crushed by the tree might not have a wrongful death case unless they can prove that someone’s negligence caused the death. If, for example, a tree-trimming company negligently weakened the tree’s trunk while trimming its branches, that could factor into a potential wrongful death case.
Wrongful death claims arise when someone could have prevented the fatality. Negligent drivers, careless property owners, manufacturers of dangerously defective products, and other at-fault parties may be liable for any deaths their actions cause.
Contact Our Lexington Wrongful Death Lawyers for a Free Consultation
The death of a spouse, parent, child, or other family member can be devastating physically, emotionally, and financially. Reach out to Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers today to learn more about your right to file a wrongful death claim against the parties responsible for your loved one’s death.
Call to schedule a free consultation with our Lexington wrongful death lawyers.