Atlanta Wrongful Death Lawyer

Losing a loved one is an unimaginable tragedy, and the pain is even more significant when someone else’s negligence causes their death. Whether it’s a fatal car accident, medical malpractice, or unsafe working conditions, these preventable losses leave surviving family members struggling to pick up the pieces. Beyond the overwhelming grief, families often face significant financial burdens, such as funeral expenses and the loss of income, as well as the emotional toll of coping with their loss. Navigating the legal system during such a difficult time can feel overwhelming.

However, with the help of an experienced Atlanta wrongful death lawyer, families don’t have to go through it alone. The Stoddard Firm is here to help you pursue justice and fair compensation for your loss. Our compassionate and knowledgeable team is committed to guiding you through the process, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. At the same time, you focus on healing and honoring your loved one’s memory.

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Why Choose Our Firm for Your Wrongful Death Case

Choosing the right legal representation can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. At The Stoddard Firm, we take an aggressive approach to advocating for accident victims, ensuring they receive the justice and financial recovery they deserve. Our firm is committed to providing personalized legal strategies, thorough case investigations, and relentless representation to maximize compensation for our clients. With years of experience and a proven track record of success, we fight tirelessly to hold negligent parties accountable. Your case is our priority, and we won’t rest until you get the results you deserve.

Our Track Record of Success

Our firm has built a reputation for achieving significant results for accident victims across Georgia. We are committed to relentless advocacy and securing maximum compensation for our clients.

• We have successfully recovered millions in compensation for accident victims.
• Our team has extensive trial experience and is not afraid to take cases to court.
• We are committed to personalized legal strategies tailored to each client’s needs.
• We stay updated on Georgia traffic laws and legal precedents to strengthen cases.
• We work closely with accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts.

Seeking Justice for Your Loved Ones

At our law firm, we understand that no settlement can ever replace the person you’ve lost. Losing a loved one is an unimaginable tragedy, and the pain that follows is often compounded by the knowledge that their death could have been avoided. However, pursuing a wrongful death claim is about more than compensation—it’s about seeking justice and ensuring those responsible are held accountable for their actions. By taking legal action, you can shine a light on negligence and potentially prevent similar tragedies from happening to others. Every case we handle is approached with care, diligence, and compassion, ensuring your family’s voice is heard, and your loved one’s memory is honored. We are here to guide you through this process, offering unwavering support at every step.

Fighting for Maximum Compensation

Wrongful death claims help families seek justice and compensation for the loss of a loved one caused by negligence or intentional actions. These claims hold responsible parties accountable and provide financial relief during a difficult time. Damages may include lost income, benefits, and compensation for emotional suffering. Our experienced attorneys are here to help you secure the maximum compensation you deserve.

Some of the types of damages families may recover include:

1. Lost income and benefits: The death of a loved one, particularly a primary breadwinner, can leave families grappling with significant financial hardships. Wrongful death claims aim to recover the income and benefits the deceased would have provided throughout their life, ensuring that surviving dependents are not left without financial stability. This compensation can help cover essential ongoing expenses such as rent, mortgages, utility bills, education, and daily living costs. By securing this financial support, families can focus on grieving and rebuilding their lives without the added pressure of immediate financial insecurity during an already challenging time.
2. Funeral and burial expenses: Funerals can be surprisingly expensive, compounding the emotional pain of loss with financial stress. Wrongful death claims can provide compensation to cover these costs so families can honor their loved ones respectfully without worrying about affordability. This includes expenses for the funeral service, burial plots, cremation fees, headstones, transportation, and other associated charges. These costs often add up quickly, and reimbursement can alleviate the financial strain, allowing families to focus on healing while giving their loved ones the farewell they deserve.
3. Medical bills before death: If the deceased received medical treatment before passing, the resulting bills could burden surviving family members enormously. Hospital stays, emergency room visits, surgeries, medications, and specialized therapies can generate significant expenses, even when efforts to save the individual are ultimately unsuccessful. Wrongful death claims can help families recover these costs, ensuring they are not left to bear the financial weight of medical services rendered during their loved one’s final days. This compensation can relieve families already coping with grief and loss.
4. Emotional pain and suffering: The emotional toll of losing a loved one is immeasurable. Families often experience profound grief, sadness, and anguish, and wrongful death claims acknowledge these non-economic damages. Compensation in this area aims to recognize the psychological impact of the loss, including the trauma and emotional distress that survivors endure. While no monetary value can genuinely address the emotional pain, it can serve to validate the immense burden families carry and provide some form of solace in acknowledging their suffering during a tough time.
5. The “full value of life”: Wrongful death claims also consider the intangible losses associated with the deceased’s life, such as their joy, presence, relationships, and contributions to their family and community. This aspect of compensation reflects the unique and irreplaceable void left by the deceased, including their guidance, love, and companionship. It ensures that the value of their life is fully recognized, going beyond financial figures to account for their role in enriching the lives of those around them. Though challenging to quantify, these losses are significant and deserve acknowledgment in any wrongful death claim.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim in Georgia?

Wrongful death claims help families seek justice and compensation when a loved one’s death results from negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions. In Georgia, spouses, children, or parents can pursue damages for medical bills, funeral costs, lost income, and emotional suffering. These civil cases, separate from criminal charges, must be filed within two years of the death. While no amount can replace a loved one, wrongful death claims provide accountability, support, and financial stability.

Understanding Wrongful Death Actions

Under Georgia law, wrongful death is a legal term used to describe a death caused by the misconduct, negligence, or intentional acts of another party. Specifically, according to Georgia law, a wrongful death occurs when someone’s life is prematurely ended as a result of criminal acts, negligence, or defectively manufactured products. This broad definition encompasses a wide variety of situations where an individual, entity, or company failed to exercise appropriate care, leading to the untimely death of another person.

Examples of Wrongful Death Cases

Wrongful death claims often stem from situations like drunk driving accidents, medical malpractice, and defective products. Drunk driving is a leading cause, where impaired drivers’ negligence leads to preventable fatalities, allowing families to seek legal action. Medical errors, such as surgical mistakes or misdiagnoses, occur when healthcare professionals fail to meet standards of care, resulting in tragic outcomes. Defective products, like faulty car parts or hazardous chemicals, also cause wrongful deaths, holding manufacturers or sellers accountable for unsafe items. Families can pursue compensation in these cases to seek justice for their loss.

Purpose of Wrongful Death Claims

The primary purpose of wrongful death lawsuits is to seek damages for the “full value of the life of the decedent,” as stated in Georgia law. This means that surviving family members can pursue financial compensation that reflects both the tangible and intangible losses stemming from their loved one’s death. Tangible losses may include lost wages, benefits, and financial contributions the deceased would have provided. Intangible losses refer to the emotional suffering, loss of companionship, and the unique value the deceased brought to their family’s life.

Support for Families

Wrongful death claims not only provide financial relief but also offer families a sense of justice and closure. By holding negligent parties accountable, these lawsuits can help prevent similar incidents in the future, serving as a deterrent to others who may act recklessly or irresponsibly. Families of victims often work with experienced wrongful death attorneys to navigate the complexities of Georgia’s legal system and build a strong case.

In summary, wrongful death lawsuits under Georgia law empower families to seek justice and compensation when a loved one’s life is tragically cut short due to the wrongful actions of another. Whether caused by criminal acts, negligence, or defective products, these cases ensure responsible parties are held accountable while helping families cope with their loss.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Case in Georgia?

Georgia law outlines specific individuals who are eligible to file a wrongful death claim in the event of a loved one’s death. The surviving spouse of the deceased individual is the first in line to file such a claim. If there is no spouse, the decedent’s surviving children are legally entitled to file the claim. In cases where the decedent did not leave behind a spouse or children, the responsibility falls to the deceased person’s parents. If there are no surviving immediate family members, the executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate has the right to pursue the wrongful death claim.

According to Georgia statutes, these provisions prioritize justice for the deceased and their surviving loved ones while preserving a clear familial hierarchy. This process ensures that the claim is brought forth by those most closely connected to the deceased. Georgia’s wrongful death laws aim to provide a structured and fair approach, granting surviving family members the opportunity to seek compensation for their loss. Additionally, the executor or administrator filing on behalf of the estate ensures that justice is still pursued even in the absence of immediate family members.

Statute of Limitations

Under Georgia law, wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of the deceased’s passing, according to Justia’s explanation of Georgia Code Title 9, Chapter 3, Article 2, Section 9-3-33. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from when the right of action accrues.  Special circumstances can shorten the two-year time frame to as little as six months or lengthen the time frame long past the standard two-year period.  An accident victim must file the lawsuit and serve the defendant within this statute of limitations to preserve the right of compensation.  Missing the deadline can result in losing the ability to recover damages no matter how strong the case may be. We can help determine whether an exception to the two year general limit applies to your case. 

Even without a statute of limitations, acting quickly is important because it allows for evidence preservation and documentation of witness observations which can significantly strengthen a claim.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle

Wrongful death is a devastating event that occurs when someone’s life is taken due to the negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of another party. It leaves families grieving the loss of a loved one while also facing the emotional and financial challenges that come in the aftermath. Understanding the causes of wrongful death and the legal options available can help families seek justice and hold negligent parties accountable.

Car Accidents and Wrongful Deaths

Car accidents are a leading cause of wrongful deaths in Georgia, often caused by negligence like speeding or DUIs. Our Atlanta attorneys hold negligent drivers accountable, investigating every detail to build strong cases. Families deserve answers, compensation, and justice, and we’re here to help.

Workplace Accidents

Workplace accidents are tragically common in high-risk industries like construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Unsafe conditions, lack of safety equipment, or failure to follow OSHA regulations often contribute to fatal injuries. Construction workers face hazards like falls, electrocution, and machinery accidents, while industrial jobs involving complex equipment carry similar risks.

Our Atlanta wrongful death lawyer investigates workplace accidents to determine if employers failed to provide a safe environment or neglected OSHA standards. Third parties, such as equipment manufacturers, may also share liability. Pursuing a wrongful death claim can hold negligent parties accountable, improve workplace safety, and provide compensation for funeral costs, lost income, and other damages.

Defective Products

Consumers expect products to be safe, but defects can cause severe harm or even death. From faulty brakes to unsafe baby products, these issues often result from design flaws, manufacturing errors, or inadequate warnings. In wrongful death cases, our attorneys identify liable parties and use experts to prove how the defect caused the tragedy. Product liability cases are complex, but experienced legal support helps families secure compensation and push for safer products.

Compensation Available in a Wrongful Death Case

Georgia law recognizes the profound emotional and financial toll that losing a loved one places on surviving family members. A wrongful death can not only leave an emotional void but also cause significant economic hardships for the deceased’s family. To address these challenges, the law provides a framework for compensating families who have lost loved ones due to someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts. The goal is to help families recover some of what they’ve lost and support them as they navigate life without their loved ones.

Compensation in wrongful death cases generally falls into three main categories:

• Economic Damages: These damages are intended to compensate for the financial contributions the deceased would have made to their family had they lived. This includes lost wages, benefits such as health or retirement plans, and other sources of income. The loss can be devastating if the deceased is the primary breadwinner or a significant contributor to the family’s financial stability. Economic damages also account for the value of the deceased’s services, such as child care, household management, or other unpaid contributions that now require replacement.
• Non-Economic Damages: The emotional impact of losing a loved one is immeasurable, but the law does allow families to seek compensation for intangible losses. This includes the loss of companionship, love, care, and guidance the deceased provided. Additionally, families may be compensated for the emotional pain and suffering they endure as a result of the wrongful death. While no amount of money can truly replace the presence of a loved one, these damages aim to recognize the depth of the loss and its effect on the surviving family members.
• Funeral and Burial Expenses: End-of-life arrangements can place an unexpected financial burden on families already grappling with grief. Reasonable costs for funeral, burial, or cremation services can be included as part of the compensation. These expenses often add to the immediate financial strain, and ensuring they are covered can provide some relief during an already difficult time.

How Our Atlanta Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help

Navigating complex legal processes while grieving the loss of a loved one is an incredibly overwhelming experience. Hiring a wrongful death attorney provides the support and expertise to handle your claim thoroughly and compassionately. Our team is committed to easing your burden during this difficult time by managing every aspect of your case.

• Carefully Review Your Case: We gather and review evidence, interview witnesses, and consult industry experts to build a solid case for you.
• Manage Legal Documents & Filing: From drafting and filing legal documents to adhering to all deadlines, we deal with the details so you don’t have to.
• Negotiate with Insurance Companies: Insurance adjusters can be frustrating. We fight lowball offers, working hard to obtain a settlement that reflects your loss and pain.
• Represent You in Court: If a trial is required, our experienced litigation team will represent you with unwavering dedication, giving your voice expression and justice pursuit.

Why Choose Us as Your Atlanta Wrongful Death Attorneys

We realize that choosing the proper attorney to represent your family is not a legal choice but a highly personal and emotional one. Your family needs a legal team that knows the law and truly cares about your welfare during one of the most difficult periods in your life. That’s why Atlanta families have trusted our firm.

Here’s what sets us apart:

• Caring, client-focused service: Your concerns and your needs are our priority. We provide thoughtful guidance and a listening ear. You will never be anything but a person to us; your family matters, and we’re here for you.
• A history of success: Our attorneys have a history of obtaining maximum monetary settlements in wrongful death claims. We fight aggressively to ensure your loved one’s life is remembered and your family receives the justice you deserve.
• Open communication: Legal proceedings can be daunting, but we try to keep you in the loop every step of the way. You will always know where your case is and what is happening next.
• A no-fee policy: We only get paid if we win your case. This means you can focus on your family without worrying about upfront costs or financial strain.

Contact our Atlanta Wrongful Lawyers

The Stoddard Firm is here to help. Don’t face legal complexities alone, our experienced and compassionate Atlanta wrongful death lawyer will fight for justice and financial security for your family. Call us today at 470-467-2200 for a free consultation, and let us support you during this difficult time.