All states have passed a wrongful death act that governs the procedures, deadlines, and requirements for filing a wrongful death lawsuit. As there are strict timelines and complex procedures involved in most wrongful death lawsuits, it is wise to consult an attorney immediately if you feel that you may have a viable wrongful death claim. In order to prove liability under a wrongful death claim in most states, you must prove that the death of your immediate family member was due to the negligence, carelessness, recklessness, or malicious intentional behavior of another person or company. Whomever the responsible party may be, he or she is potentially liable to the deceased's immediate family members for the direct and indirect costs of losing the deceased person. Of course, the availability and amount of damages varies according to state wrongful death laws, the circumstances surrounding the situation, and the degree of negligence of the responsible party.