Ramban mentions gilgulim in this context, as a way to explain suffering that is otherwise difficult to explain.
The Arizal was known to tell people whose neshama they had, and to explain the reasons for their present gilgul.
However, since there are so many different possible reasons for any suffering, we should not assume it is for a particular reason in any particular case.
Of course, if there is any way we can relieve or prevent someone’s suffering, then we should do so. We should never say, “Oh well they had it coming to them so we shouldn’t do anything to help.” Perhaps concerns about this tendency were one of the reasons why kabbalistic teachings about gilgulim were concealed until the time of the publication of the Zohar.