A wrongful death suit is filed as a consequence of an injury inflicted on a person which resulted in his or her death, and the effect of loss that the death caused for the lives of the people who depended on him for support, both in financial and emotional aspects. Wrongful death typically occurs when there is a negligent situation, not when the defendant has intended to kill the spouse or other relative of the plaintiff(s). The idea behind a wrongful death lawsuit is that the wrongful death, in addition to injuring the person who died, also hurt people who depended upon the deceased for financial or emotional support. The wrongful act may be a negligent or careless act such as careless driving, or a reckless act, or an intentional act such as a deliberate murder. Almost every state has enacted a statute permitting a lawsuit to be brought by the relatives of a person who died as a result of a wrongful act.