Legal Classifications of Death: What is an accidental death? | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

An accidental death occurs when a person dies because of an unanticipated and unusual event. Some of the different types of accidental deaths that can occur include the following:

  • An accidental injury that leads to a death
  • Fatal disease or infection that develops as a result of an accidental injury
  • Accidentally drowning

If the death is caused by an accident that was not caused by negligence or recklessness, then there is no liable party to pursue damages against.