How Much is a Wrongful Death Case Worth in Georgia?
When a life is cut short by the negligence of another, that is wrongful, and Georgia law refers to negligence resulting in death as “wrongful death”. A wrongful death case exists even if the person causing the death is also charged with a crime.
Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of recovery in a wrongful death case; they feel like they are profiting from the death of someone they loved. If that is a concern you have, you’re not alone; legal scholars have wrestled with that issue over the years. How should the law deal with wrongful death? Certainly, a person should not negligently take the life of another and there be no consequence. Some societies impose the ultimate consequence – the negligent person is killed. Some societies imprison the negligent person who caused the death. That can happen in Georgia under certain circumstances. For example, in a car crash where the at-fault driver was DUI, fleeing police, left the scene, or was recklessly driving as defined by our statutes, he may be charged with homicide by vehicle.
But what about situations where criminal charges can’t be brought? Does a person who is responsible for the death of another face no consequences? That was the case before the legislature passed our wrongful death statute in the 1800’s. Legislators saw the absurdity in making a person who caused non-deadly harm pay but one who caused the ultimate harm paid nothing.
While the person who suffered the death can’t recover for his death, the legislature determined the people who basically stand in for the person and bring the wrongful death action. Those are specified in O.C.G.A. §51-4-2: the deceased’s surviving spouse, child(ren), parents, or personal representative.
Regardless of the person(s) bringing the wrongful death action, the losses are viewed from the point of view of the person who died. Georgia law talks about it in terms of “the full value of the life of the deceased”, which in plain language means what was his life worth to him? To handle a wrongful death case, whether it’s going to be presented to an adjuster or to a jury, an attorney has to get to know the person who died. Ann-Margaret Perkins does that primarily through friends and family. She has spent many hours in the homes of families listening to stories about the person they loved, learning as much as possible about who she was, what she did, what she loved, what her dreams were. Ann-Margaret believes there is no other way to effectively handle a wrongful death case.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not allowed in wrongful death cases. They are, however, allowed by the estate’s claim, which is a separate claim discussed briefly below.
Where wrongful death claims are focused on the loss of the future life a person lost, the estate claim is focused on actual losses that arose from the negligence, including: medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages, property damage, conscious pain and suffering of the person prior to death, and punitive damages, if applicable. For the estate’s claim to be pursued, a personal representative must be appointed by the Probate court of the county where the deceased person lived. If a personal representative has not been appointed, Perkins Law Firm can help with that process.
We understand that wrongful death is the most personal of injuries and respect the difficulty discussing this subject. Sometimes the initial conversation about a wrongful death case or estate claim are very hard for family members, and they ask someone else to make that initial call to us to discuss. We understand and are happy to talk to a family representative. Whoever calls can rest assured we will act respectfully and answer as few or as many questions and provide as much or a little information as you need.
Everyone I worked with regarding my case showed great compassion and extensive knowledge. I am not only a satisfied client but I also was treated like part of the family.
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Questions everyone should ask
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We can’t tell you that until we talk to you. While we may decide that your case is not one we can help you with, we think it is necessary to talk to you in order to make that decision. If in doubt, call. It costs you nothing.
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C.C. Perkins started Perkins Laws Firm in 1952 to work for the common man. We have never forgotten the principles on which this firm was built: integrity and hard work. Since then we have chosen to limit our areas of practice to serious personal injury and wrongful death. We handle these cases exclusively. We believe that focusing our time on these areas allows us to be more effective advocates for our clients. We do not work for insurance companies or corporations, only people.
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Because every case is different, it’s impossible to accurately answer that question up front. We are very thorough in how we handle cases, because you only get one recovery. If your case settles too quickly, you discover you have additional or more severe problems than you thought, you’ve already settled, and you cannot go back for more. We make every effort to handle your case as quickly as we can without jeopardizing your recovery.
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Absolutely. While Perkins Law Firm has wonderful, competent people who assist our attorneys on your case, you will have one attorney who is responsible for your case. Many times our paralegals can answer your questions, but if you need to speak to your attorney, you may.
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It is important to our attorneys that their initial meeting with you be face to face, if at all possible. If you are unable to come to us, we are happy to discuss coming to you.
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No. We will be glad to talk to you on the phone or in person at no charge. You owe us nothing until you hire us by signing a contract. Even then, you only pay us out of the money we recover for you.