a statutory cause of action that may be brought on behalf of a surviving spouse, children and parents of a decedent to compensate them for the losses they sustained as a result of the wrongful death of their family member

a suit that arises from the death of an individual that was caused by the conduct of another

Wrongful death is a claim in common law jurisdictions against a person who can be held liable for a death. The claim is brought in a civil action, usually by close relatives, as enumerated by statute. Under common law, a dead person cannot bring a suit, and this created a legal hole in which activities that resulted in a person's injury would result in civil sanction but activities that resulted in a person's death would not.