Legal Definitions - violent death

A violent death refers to a death that results from external forces, trauma, or injury, rather than from natural causes such as illness, disease, or old age. This category encompasses deaths caused by intentional acts (like homicide or suicide), unintentional accidents, or other non-natural events that directly lead to the cessation of life.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a violent death:

• Example 1: A pedestrian is struck by a car while crossing the street and dies from their injuries at the scene.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates a violent death because the individual's demise was caused by an external, accidental force (the impact with the car) and resulting physical trauma, not by any underlying natural health condition.

• Example 2: During a home invasion, a resident is fatally stabbed by an intruder.

  Explanation: This is a clear instance of a violent death, as it results from an intentional act of another person (homicide) involving direct physical injury and external force, rather than natural causes.

• Example 3: An individual is found deceased after intentionally consuming a lethal amount of a toxic substance.

  Explanation: This example represents a violent death due to suicide. The death is caused by an intentional act involving an external agent (the toxic substance) and not by a natural progression of illness or bodily failure.