Whats the difference between wrongful death and murder?
While both involve the death of someone due to another’s actions, wrongful death and murder are two very different matters. Wrongful death is a civil claim, and murder is a criminal offense. A wrongful death claim is separate from a murder case, even if the responsible party was found to be criminally liable.
Prosecutors may or may not file criminal charges against a responsible party in the event of a death. Even if they don’t, family members can still file a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death lawsuits allow families to seek monetary damages from the responsible party, rather than seek criminal penalties.