Just as non fatal car accidents often give rise to personal injury lawsuits, fatal car accidents are often the impetus for wrongful death lawsuits. Whether your loved one is killed upon impact by a drunk driver, or is severely injured as a passenger in a speeding vehicle, and later succumbs to his or her accident injuries, you may have a valid legal claim for wrongful death under your state's wrongful death laws. Many different factors affect the success of a wrongful death claim, as well as the amount and types of compensation that you may receive from such a claim. State laws vary as to the available compensation and eligibility for filing wrongful death claims. Moreover, factual circumstances surrounding the incident will directly affect the amount of recovery expected from a wrongful death claim, such as whether the decedent was also negligent in any way that contributed to his or her death. Likewise, factors regarding the decedent are also relevant in determining the amount of potential wrongful death compensation, including the decedent's age, health, and earning capacity at the time of death.