A wrongful death lawsuit is available under all state laws where a death has occurred due to the negligence or recklessness of another party. Under wrongful death laws, the personal representative of the decedent's estate can attempt to recover compensation for the financial losses of the decedent's family members resulting from the death. There are also other types of legal actions that may accompany wrongful death claims. For instance, in some jurisdictions, the decedent's family may be able to recover not only damages for wrongful death, but also for personal injuries suffered by the decedent prior to his or her death. These types of actions are commonly called survival actions, in that the personal injury action survives the decedent, and can be brought by the decedent's personal representative for the benefit of his or her estate. The amount of personal injury damages may be limited by the extent of the decedent's suffering and the nature of his or her injuries prior to death, including the degree of consciousness and the amount of pain involved.