Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Catholic Social Services, Inc. v. Reno
Definition: Accidental death refers to a death that occurs due to an unexpected and unintentional event.
Example: If someone dies in a car accident, it is considered an accidental death because it was not intended or expected.
This definition explains that accidental death occurs due to an unusual event that was not voluntary, intended, expected, or foreseeable. An example of accidental death is a person drowning while swimming in a lake. The person did not intend to drown, and the event was not foreseeable. Accidental death is different from natural death, which occurs due to natural causes such as old age or illness. It is also different from death by one's own hand, which refers to suicide.