An accidental death is an unnatural death that is caused by an accident such as a slip and fall, an automobile accident, or an accidental poisoning. Accidental deaths are distinguished from death by natural causes, such as old age and disease, and from intentional deaths such as homicides, suicides, and deaths in war. Legally, accidental deaths are important due to the existence of accidental death and dismemberment insurance (and other insurance policies offering additional benefits for accidental death), for which it must be demonstrated that a given death is in fact an accident, and not another cause that is not considered accidental. In some cases, persons accused of murder have asserted as a defense that the deceased was actually the victim of an accidental death rather than an intentional act. However, a person who is responsible for the accidental death of another through negligence may still be criminally liable for manslaughter, and civilly liable for wrongful death.
It has been suggested that "vast majority of accidents are not really accidents of chance but rather accidents of folly, negligence, and blatant human misjudgment". The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2015, there were 146,571 "unintentional injury deaths" that year, the fourth leading cause of death. Of those, 47,478 were from unintentional poisoning, 37,757 were from traffic accidents, and 33,381 were from falls.
In some countries, all accidental deaths (or apparently accidental deaths) are investigated by government bodies. Inquests in England and Wales, for example, are held into sudden and unexplained deaths, and a fatal accident inquiry is performed for an accidental death in Scotland.
Video Accidental death
See also
- Death by misadventure
Maps Accidental death
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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