A wrongful death refers to the death of a person caused by the intentional, reckless or negligent act of another person, company or institution. Many incidents may qualify as a “wrongful death” under the law, and the victim’s family may be entitled to seek justice on their loved one’s behalf. In Georgia, the victim’s family may recover damages for the full value of the life of the victim, for the pain and suffering experienced by the victim prior to their death, and for funeral and burial expenses.

When a wrongful death occurs, there are usually criminal charges against the people or company who caused the harm. The purpose of the criminal case is to make our community safer and to remove criminals from society.

In the same manner, the civil justice system is also there to make our community safer. It is there to make sure that individuals, companies and institutions follow all regulations and safety standards. When an individual, company or institution does not follow safety regulations or standards, serious injury and wrongful death may occur.

When a loved one is lost due to the actions of a person or company, a claim or lawsuit will not bring the departed back to life. And, we understand that no one would ever consider parting with a loved one in exchange for any amount of money. However, our legal system in the United States of America attempts to provide relief to the family members who have lost a loved one through wrongful death by allowing payment of money damages. This payment also makes our community and state safer by forcing the individual, company or institution to change their ways so that another family does not suffer the same devastation.