March 10, 2025
In North Carolina, a wrongful death claim arises when a person dies due to another party's negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. It allows the deceased's personal representative to seek compensation for losses suffered by the estate and surviving family members.
To succeed in a wrongful death case in North Carolina, the plaintiff must establish four key elements:
Duty of Care: The defendant owed a duty of care to the deceased. This refers to the legal obligation to act in a reasonably safe manner to avoid causing harm to others.
Breach of Duty: The defendant breached this duty of care. A breach occurs when the defendant fails to act as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances.
Causation: The defendant's breach of duty directly caused the death. This involves showing that the death would not have occurred if not for the defendant's actions or inaction.
Damages: Survivors suffered losses as a result of the death. These damages can include medical expenses, funeral costs, lost income, and loss of companionship.
North Carolina operates under a strict pure contributory negligence doctrine. This means that if the deceased is found to be even 1% at fault for their death, the family may be barred from recovering any damages. For example, if someone was speeding slightly when another driver ran a red light, the person speeding could be prevented from recovering compensation. The defendant has the burden of proving pure contributory negligence, but they only need to show the deceased was partially responsible.
In North Carolina, only the personal representative of the deceased's estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit1. This is often the executor or administrator of the estate1.
Compensation may be sought for losses, which include:
Medical expenses related to the incident that caused the death
The victim’s pain and suffering if they did not die instantly
Reasonable funeral expenses
Loss of the victim’s future income
Loss of the victim’s services, protection, and care
Loss of the victim’s companionship, comfort, guidance, and society
Punitive damages may also be sought if the death was caused by malicious, willful, or wanton conduct1.
In North Carolina, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim is two years from the date of death. Missing this deadline means losing the right to recovery.
If you need assistance with a wrongful death claim, contact Hall & Dixon for legal solutions.
Read: Common Causes of Wrongful Death: Car Accidents, Medical Malpractice, and More
