A survival action must be brought by the representative of the decedentís estate on behalf of the estate and its beneficiaries. A survival action compensates the estate of the deceased for damages the decedent suffered from the time of the accident until the moment he or she passed away. This includes all of the decedentís medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other losses incurred between the time of the injury and the deceasedís death. On the other hand, a wrongful death claim can be brought by a surviving family member of the deceased, such as a spouse, child or parent, to seek compensation for ìpecuniary damagesî they suffer as a result of the decedentís death, such as loss of companionship and protection, mental pain and anguish, etc.