If someone is killed in a fire or burn injury accident, the victim is no longer alive to file a burn injury lawsuit on their own behalf. Instead, certain family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit. A wrongful death lawsuit will allow the surviving family to receive compensation and hold the perpetrator accountable.
Under the Illinois wrongful death law, a spouse and the next of kin of the decedent can recover for both economic and non-economic damages. For example, these may include funeral and burial expenses, any hospital bills or other medical expenses, the decedent’s economic contributions to his or her family, and fair and just compensation for the grief, sorrow, and mental suffering of the surviving spouse and next of kin.