Fatal driving accidents, depending on the circumstances, can lead to civil liability in a wrongful death action brought by the deceased person's immediate family members. While state laws vary regarding the type and extent of the wrongful death claims that can be filed, as well as who is eligible to file them, there are some general guidelines that most state's wrongful deaths follow. First, the person's death must have been caused, fully or at least partially, by the person who acted negligently. Second, the negligent person must have known that he or she was acting in a careless or reckless manner that could cause injury or death to the other person. Third, the deceased person typically must have immediate dependent family members surviving him or her in order to bring the action. Finally, a wrongful death lawsuit is usually not successful unless the family member(s) bringing the suit has incurred some sort of financial consequences as a result of the person's death. For instance, a surviving spouse and dependent children may have been wholly or at least partially dependent on the deceased spouse and parent's income prior to his or her death.