Losing a loved one can be one of the most difficult times in a person's life. Most of the time, this loss is due to a natural condition such as old age or illness. But in some cases, the death is due to the negligence of another person. In these cases, the family of the deceased may have a wrongful death claim and they may be entitled to compensation for the loss of their loved one.A family in mourning over the recent loss of their loved one may have a valid wrongful death claim. The deceased individual was shot and killed by St. Petersburg Police on March 10th. The police claim that they were threatened by the individual and that the deceased individual used a pair of scissors to threaten them. A ceremony held Sunday for the man echoed the family's anger over the incident and many believe that their loved one did not need to lose his life.The incident occurred at the deceased individual's mother's house. He was staying there and his mother called the police after he had doused himself in gasoline and threatened to light himself on fire.When the police arrived, they surrounded the house and attempted to negotiate with the man. The police finally got him to leave the house, but when he did, the police claimed that he was "belligerent and threatening" and carrying a pair of scissors. The officers then fired multiple shots into the man's torso. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.The deceased individual had a history of bipolar disorder.If the family of a loved one believes that their loved one's death is due to the negligence of another, the family may be entitled to compensation through a wrongful death claimm. This compensation may include medical expenses, funeral costs, loss of future earnings and emotional distress.Source: Tampa Bay Times, "Family fumes over fatal St. Petersburg police shooting," Brittany Alana Davis, March 17, 2013
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