While both a wrongful death claim and a survival action arise from the same wrongful act or neglect, they serve different purposes. Survivors or the estate file a wrongful death claim to seek damages for their own losses resulting from the victim's death. This can include loss of support, companionship, and funeral and burial costs.
On the other hand, the victim's estate files a survival action to recover damages the victim could have claimed if they had survived. These indemnities might include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damages incurred from the time of injury until the victim's death.