In a wrongful death case, the burden of proof falls on the plaintiff, who must establish the defendant's liability for the deceased's death by a "preponderance of the evidence." This legal standard is lower than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" requirement used in criminal cases. To meet this burden, the plaintiff must show that it is more likely than not that the defendant's negligence or wrongful actions directly caused the death. Essentially, the evidence presented by the plaintiff must tip the balance in favor of their claims, convincingly demonstrating that the defendant's conduct resulted in the loss of life and justifying the claim for damages. This involves proving elements such as duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages.