Parties of Interest in Wrongful Death Claims

The former Bruce (now Caitlyn) Jenner was involved in a fatal car accident on the Pacific Coast Highway last February.
Several cars crashed causing injuries to some, and resulting in the death of one of Jenner’s elderly neighbors. Stepchildren of the deceased woman have filed a wrongful death suit against Jenner on the grounds of enormous damages suffered because of the multi-vehicle car accident. Jenner counter-filed a claim on the grounds that the 57 and 60 year old stepchildren of the deceased woman were not financially dependent on her, but in fact they were estranged from her.

Wrongful death is a claim that exists when a person dies due to negligence of another, or as a result of defective equipment or faulty machinery. Every state in the country now has some kind of wrongful death law. Claims involve all types of fatal occurrences from car accidents to medical malpractices. People, companies, and even government agencies can be legally at fault for causing the death of another person.

Parties of Interest in Wrongful Death Claims

A wrongful death claim has to be filed by a representative on behalf of the people who have suffered damage because of the victims’ deaths. These people are referred to as the parties of interest. The laws that define parties of interest vary from state to state. All states recognize immediate family members as parties of interest, while only some states allow life partners and more distant family members to be considered as parties of interest. There are also some states who allow those who were financially dependent on the deceased to file a wrongful death claim regardless if they were blood relatives.

In car accident cases, drivers or employers can be sued for wrongful death. Manufacturers, distributors, or installers of faulty or dangerous parts of a motor vehicle can also be sued.