A Kansas federal district court ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit may proceed against Bureau Veritas North America Incorporated. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the company failed to perform air quality tests accurately at their plant, and an Eli Lilly worker was regularly exposed to hazardous chemicals. The lawsuit asserts that these hazardous chemicals caused the plaintiff’s breast cancer and subsequent death.
The lawsuit also claims that the plaintiff died of breast cancer after four years working at an Eli Lilly Kansas pharmaceutical plant. Her job was to package products. The wrongful death complaint states that the plaintiff’s cancer was caused by her handling and packaging a growth hormone impact product at the facility.
What is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
If a person is killed due to the negligent conduct of a person or company, the victim’s surviving family member might be able to file a lawsuit for “wrongful death.” These lawsuits seek economic compensation for the survivors’ losses, such as funeral expenses, lost companionship, pain and suffering the victim felt during the incident.
Wrongful death statutes differ from state to state, but these laws typically stipulate which family members may file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the victim and the family of the victim. Wrongful death laws were created as a means to provide financial aid to widows and orphans. However, state laws now help recover monetary compensation for the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. Each state has a “wrongful death statute,” which establishes the process and procedures for filing a wrongful death action.