Grovetown Wrongful Death Lawyer

Are you struggling after the tragic and unexpected loss of a loved one in Grovetown, Georgia? An experienced Grovetown wrongful death lawyer at Hawk Law Group can help you fight for justice. You may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Our team can help you work toward a full financial recovery that considers your lost financial support, medical expenses, and the loss of your loved one’s companionship and support.

Our lawyers have over 71 years of combined experience helping grieving families like yours. Since we started our law firm, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. We won’t stop until we’ve done everything possible to help your family recover the maximum compensation available. To learn more, call our law offices in Grovetown, GA, at 706-722-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

Why Call Hawk Law Group to Help With My Family’s Wrongful Death Claim in Grovetown?

Why Call Hawk Law Group to Help With My Family’s Wrongful Death Claim in Grovetown?

Your loved one is gone because someone else couldn’t be bothered to be careful. We know that’s an unbearable feeling. That feeling can, however, be magnified when you’re worried about your family’s finances. Our Grovetown wrongful death lawyers know the stakes are high. At Hawk Law Group, we have the tools to help you recover every available dollar from the person who put you in this situation. 

When you retain our law firm, we will:

  • Investigate the facts to identify all parties who share legal responsibility
  • Collect evidence to prove each element of your claim
  • Vigorously defend against any allegations that your loved one shared the blame
  • Evaluate your damages
  • Assess your case value
  • Hire leading experts who can testify about complex issues
  • Negotiate with the insurance company and defense lawyers for a full settlement
  • Reject any lowball deals and take your case to trial if necessary

Over the years, our law firm has been recognized for winning some of the largest verdicts in the area. Now, our Grovetown personal injury attorneys are ready to put our skills to work for you. We can get started today, so call for your free consultation.

Overview of Georgia’s Wrongful Death Laws

Under Georgia wrongful death laws, a “wrongful death” includes any death caused by another person’s negligent or criminal actions. If someone else caused your loved one’s death, it’s very likely that you have a valid wrongful death claim.

Wrongful death cases are civil issues. In a wrongful death case, you file a claim for compensation. The case is entirely separate from any criminal matter. In fact, most wrongful death cases are based on accidents that don’t involve criminal offenses at all.

Defendants can, however, face both criminal and civil charges. You may be entitled to compensation for wrongful death even if the defendant is acquitted of criminal charges. That’s because the standard of proof in Georgia wrongful death cases is slightly lower than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard that applies in criminal court.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Georgia?

Only certain surviving family members can file a lawsuit for wrongful death in Georgia. They include a surviving spouse, children, or parents. It’s important to note that when multiple qualifying family members exist, the surviving spouse will receive at least one-third of any compensation recovered.

When no surviving spouse, child, or parent exists, the victim’s personal representative can file the lawsuit. The compensation that is recovered is then distributed to the victim’s next of kin.

What is a Survival Action?

Survival actions are separate from wrongful death lawsuits. Some victims survive their injuries for a period of time before death. If that’s the case, survival actions are meant to provide compensation for the losses suffered by the victim between the date of injury and the date of death. 

Those losses often include:

  • Medical expenses incurred between the date of injury and the date of death
  • Lost wages while the victim is struggling to recover
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Trauma and fear

Wrongful death lawsuits, on the other hand, are designed to compensate surviving family members for their own losses.

What Kinds of Compensatory Damages Are Available in a Grovetown Wrongful Death Case?

Under Georgia wrongful death laws, survivors are entitled to damages for “the full value of the life of the decedent.” Both financial and non-financial losses are considered.

Examples of these damages include:

  • Loss of the victim’s financial support
  • Loss of the value of household services performed by the victim
  • Loss of employment benefits received because of the victim’s employment (for example, health insurance and retirement benefits)
  • Funeral expenses and burial costs
  • Loss of parental guidance and support
  • Loss of consortium or loss of a spouse’s companionship and support

The victim’s estate administrator may also seek punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s acts are found to be malicious, intentional, or shockingly reckless.

How Much Is My Grovetown Wrongful Death Case Worth?

The value of a wrongful death claim depends on many different factors. All victims and all families are unique. One thing, however, is common to nearly all cases: the insurance company almost always tries to downplay the extent of a surviving family’s loss. It’s critical to hire a lawyer who knows how to value your case properly.

Some of the key details that our team will analyze when calculating your case value include:

  • How your loved one contributed to your family
  • Your loved one’s age and life expectancy at the time of death
  • Your loved one’s education, work history, and earning capacity had they lived
  • The age of dependent children left behind
  • The sorrow and grief your family has experienced
  • Increased financial costs you’ve incurred due to your loss, including childcare expenses, in-home assistance, funeral costs, counseling expenses, etc.
  • The nature of the defendant’s actions

The money you receive can’t bring your loved one back. It can protect your family for years to come. Money can also give you room to take the time to grieve your loss without worrying about how you’ll pay the bills.

What Happens to My Family’s Right to Receive Damages If the Other Side is Blaming My Loved One for Their Death?

First and foremost, allegations of shared fault require proof. Don’t let the other side scare you into taking a lowball settlement based on bare accusations.

Georgia law works like this: If the other side can prove your loved one shared some blame for their fatal injuries, your compensation will be reduced to account for their share of fault. So, if 20% of the blame is allocated to the victim, you retain your right to only 80% of the damages. 

Once your loved one’s share of blame reaches or exceeds 50%, your family is barred from recovering any damages.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Georgia?

Our Grovetown wrongful death attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Once we recover compensation in your case, you’ll pay a pre-agreed percentage of your settlement or verdict. You’ll never risk owing attorneys’ fees if we fail to recover compensation for your family.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Wrongful Death in Grovetown?

Our team at Hawk Law Group handles all types of wrongful death claims in Grovetown, including those involving:

  • Car accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Bus accidents
  • Workplace accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Dangerous property conditions
  • Uber or Lyft accidents
  • Boating accidents
  • Construction accidents
  • Dog bites 
  • Defective products or product liability
  • Medical malpractice
  • Nursing home abuse and neglect

We also handle wrongful death cases where the defendant intentionally harmed your loved one and caused their death.

How Do I Prove My Family Deserves Compensation for My Loved One’s Wrongful Death in Georgia? 

Most deadly accidents happen when others are negligent. Negligence is a legal concept that means something like “careless.” It’s up to the victim’s surviving family to prove each element of their claim.

Negligence means:

  • The defendant had a legal duty of care
  • They breached their duty
  • The breach directly caused the victim’s death
  • Your family suffered damages as a result

Remember that everyone has a legal duty to exercise reasonable caution to prevent injuries and death. The key in these cases is often proving that the defendant ignored that duty and so caused your loved one’s fatal injuries.

How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit After an Accident in Georgia?

You have two years to file a wrongful death claim in Georgia. The statute of limitations starts to run when your loved one dies. This is different from personal injury cases, where the clock starts running on the date an accident occurs.

However, the consequences for missing the deadline are the same. If you wait longer than two years, you lose your right to damages.

Call a Trusted Grovetown Wrongful Death Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today

You deserve to hold the person responsible for your loved one’s death accountable. Our team at Hawk Law Group is passionate about helping grieving families like yours get justice. To learn more about how an experienced Grovetown wrongful death lawyer can help with your case, call at 706-722-3500 for a free consultation today.