Wrongful death lawsuits are structured such that the family will obtain the compensation needed to pay for the victim’s injuries, pay for their burial, and probate their estate. Although these lawsuits are similar to personal injury claims, the victim is not there to file the lawsuit. The immediate family members of the deceased should file a lawsuit, and that lawsuit will benefit certain members of the immediate family based on local intestacy laws. For example, a father who also supports his elderly parent or disabled sibling dies in a car accident.