Torts, wrongful-death claims and suicide

Torts

By Colin H. Dunn

Colin H. Dunn is a partner at Clifford Law Offices who concentrates in personal injury and aviation law and handles complex and mass tort litigation. He can be reached at chd@cliffordlaw.com.

Posted July 22, 2014 2:48 PM

Normally, when an individual commits suicide, his or her death cannot provide the basis for a wrongful-death or survival claim. The rationale for this rule is that the decedent’s act is an “independent intervening event that the tortfeasor cannot be expected to foresee” as a matter of law. See Luss v. Village of Forest Park, 377 Ill.App.3d 318, 332–33 (2007) (wrongful-death claim against store was barred due to suicide by the decedent-shoplifter in police custody) and Crumpton v. Walgreen Co …

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