What is the difference between a medical malpractice lawsuit and a wrongful death lawsuit?

A medical malpractice lawsuit and a wrongful death lawsuit are two different types of legal claims that arise from the same type of incident—medical negligence. Generally speaking, a medical malpractice lawsuit is intended to recover compensation for the direct physical and mental harm caused to a patient due to medical negligence. This typically includes things like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A wrongful death lawsuit, on the other hand, is intended to recover compensation for the death of a patient due to medical negligence. In North Carolina, a wrongful death lawsuit is usually brought by the survivors of the deceased person (such as a spouse, child, or parent). This type of lawsuit is intended to help cover the financial losses incurred by the survivors due to the death—for example, lost wages, medical bills, and funeral expenses. Though both types of lawsuit are based on the same type of incident—medical negligence—they focus on different aspects of the same incident. The main difference between a medical malpractice lawsuit and a wrongful death lawsuit is that a medical malpractice lawsuit seeks to compensate the person who was directly harmed, while a wrongful death lawsuit seeks to compensate the survivors of the person who was harmed.

Related FAQs

What is the difference between a medical malpractice lawsuit and a wrongful death lawsuit?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts