In North Carolina as well as other states, an individual may be found guilty of wrongful death if it can be proved that his or her negligence resulted in the death of another person. In such cases, it may be possible to file for damages covering funeral expenses, medical fees, and the pain and suffering of the victim before death. In a recent wrongful death case, a mother sued her son's doctor because she believed he could have prevented his death.
Anna Kashfi, the former wife of the late actor Marlon Brando, has settled with a doctor who she deems responsible for her son's death. The woman filed the wrongful death lawsuit after accusing the doctor of failing to provide her son with adequate medical care. Her son died of pneumonia at a hospital in 2008, 15 days after being admitted with a respiratory infection. The woman claims that her son would still be alive had he had received treatment sooner.
The lawsuit initially targeted several other defendants, including her son's half-siblings and one of their friends, whom she accused of negligent interference with the disposal of her son's remains. The half-siblings were later dropped as defendants, after reaching a settlement with Kashfi. The mother also alleged that the hospital in which her son died was liable for his death, but later decided to settle instead of going to court. The mother also blamed the doctor for harming her son's estate, as he lost an inheritance from his father when he died.
The details of the settlement reached with the doctor have not been revealed to the public.
Source: Beverly Hills Courier, "Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Christian Brando's Death Settled," Aug. 17, 2011