After a fatal accident, you may be grieving while also answering calls from insurers, investigators and agencies. You might not know which records matter yet, but keeping important documents in one place can help protect details your family may need if questions about a possible wrongful death claim arise.
Start with records that show what happened
What you need depends on whether the fatal incident involved a crash, fall, farm accident, oil field incident or other event. Consider saving:
- Police, crash or incident reports
- Photos or videos of the scene, vehicles, equipment or unsafe condition
- Names and contact information for witnesses
- Medical records showing treatment before death
- The death certificate
- Funeral, burial and cremation receipts
- Insurance letters, claim numbers and adjuster contact information
- Employment records, wage statements or recent tax returns that may show lost financial support or future earnings
This information can help connect the accident to the losses your family may need to explain in an insurance matter or legal claim. North Dakota law allows a wrongful death action when a death results from a wrongful act, neglect or default, which generally means failing to perform a legal duty. Damages are based on the injury caused to the people entitled to recover.
Track deadlines and insurance messages
North Dakota generally gives families two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death action. However, specific exceptions, such as those involving medical malpractice, can alter this timeframe.
Because insurance contact often begins quickly, it may help to keep a simple communication log. Write down who contacted you, when they called, what they asked and what you shared.
You can also save voicemails, emails, forms and claim-related letters in one folder. Keeping everything together makes it easier to review the timeline and avoid losing details.
Preserving records to protect your family’s rights
No set of documents can ease the pain of losing someone you love. Still, preserving the right records can help your family protect important details, understand what happened and determine whether you may have the right to seek accountability and compensation after a wrongful death.