Lynwood Carter, 83, killed, and Sally Carter, 80, critically injured in head-on car collision with driver Christopher Riley, 21, on Route 11 in New Durham, New Hampshire

Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death

After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?

Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.