Decatur Wrongful Death Lawyer

Decatur Wrongful Death Attorney

Whenever one party’s negligence or illegal misconduct causes harm to another party, it can form the basis of a personal injury claim. The victim will have grounds to seek compensation for the harm done to them.

However, not all victims of personal injuries survive. If you have lost a loved one due to another party’s actions, it can form the foundation of a wrongful death suit. Merritt & Merritt Law Firm is a team of Decatur wrongful death attorneys who can help with your case.

For an Immediate Consultation call us at 404-975-1775

Compassionate Representation for Wrongful Death Claims in Decatur, GA

The attorneys at Merritt & Merritt have years of experience in personal injury law and have recovered more than $50 million in damages for past clients.

We know how damaging any personal injury can be for the victim and their family, especially one that results in fatal harm. A wrongful death claim effectively replaces the personal injury suit a victim could have filed if they had survived their experience.

When you believe another party is responsible for the death of a family member, you need legal counsel you can trust to help you hold them accountable. Decatur wrongful death attorneys provide comprehensive support throughout all stages of a wrongful death suit, from gathering the evidence needed to prove liability to uncovering the full extent of the damages the family can claim from a defendant.

You have a limited time in which to file your wrongful death suit in Decatur, so it is vital that you connect with an experienced Decatur wrongful death attorney as soon as possible to ensure the greatest chance of success with your case.

Our firm can work closely with you to help prove liability, navigate the civil court proceedings necessary to file your case, and recover as much compensation as state law allows.

Filing Your Wrongful Death Suit in Decatur

A wrongful death claim is functionally similar to a personal injury case in many ways. However, there are specific rules that apply to wrongful death claims that you must understand before embarking on this type of case.

One of the most important of these rules pertains to eligibility to file a wrongful death suit. Typically, the first party with the right to file a wrongful death suit is the surviving spouse of the deceased, followed by their children or their parents.

If the deceased had an estate plan in place at the time of their death, the personal representative named in their estate plan will have the primary right to file the claim. This personal representative acts as the plaintiff in the wrongful death suit and seeks compensation for the beneficiaries of the deceased. Similar to a personal injury claim, a two-year statute of limitations applies to wrongful death claims in Georgia.

Proving fault for the death is the first legal challenge the plaintiff will encounter. They must identify the party who caused the death and prove exactly how they caused it. Most wrongful deaths reported in Decatur happen because of negligence. However, it is also possible for a wrongful death to result from intentional misconduct.

Claiming Compensation in a Wrongful Death Suit

Once a plaintiff has proven fault for a wrongful death and identified the party or parties responsible for causing the death, the next phase of the case will focus on recovering compensation from the defendant.

While a personal injury case seeks compensation for a victim’s losses, a wrongful death claim focuses on compensating the victim’s family for the economic and non-economic damages resulting from the death.

Decatur wrongful death attorneys can help their clients recover compensation for:

• Damages incurred by the estate of the deceased. An estate claim focuses on the damages the victim incurred from the time of the fatal incident to the time of their death. These damages could include their final medical expenses as well as the pain and suffering they experienced before their death.
• Funeral and burial expenses. The defendant is liable for the cost of the victim’s funeral and burial rites in accordance with the victim’s spiritual practices, within reason.
• Loss of financial support. If the victim was a breadwinner for their family, the wrongful death claim can help the family recover compensation for the lost future income the deceased could have provided to the family if they had survived.
• Compensation for lost household and childcare services provided by the deceased. Your Decatur wrongful death attorney can assist you in calculating the full financial impact of the death of your loved one and add projected losses to your claim as economic damages.
• The family’s pain and suffering. A surviving spouse can claim compensation for loss of consortium, and surviving children can seek compensation for lost parental guidance and affection.

The average person is likely to struggle when it comes to accurate calculation of their claimable damages in any type of wrongful death suit. With the right attorney on your side, you can approach these difficult proceedings with confidence and peace of mind.

Merritt & Merritt approaches every personal injury and wrongful death suit we accept with the goal of helping our client recover the maximum amount of compensation possible for their damages.

Resolving Your Wrongful Death Suit in Decatur

The majority of civil claims filed in the Decatur court system end in private settlement negotiations, but this isn’t always possible for every case. You may need to prepare for litigation against the defendant who caused your loved one’s death, and it is possible for the defendant to face criminal court proceedings if they caused the death through some illegal misconduct. If they broke the law in causing the death, your family may receive punitive damages and/or restitution.

When you choose Merritt & Merritt Law Firm to handle your wrongful death suit in Decatur, you will have readily available access to an experienced team of Decatur wrongful death attorneys ready to provide the guidance and support you need to approach your case with confidence.

You have a limited time in which to file your case, so contact us today and schedule your free consultation with our team to learn more about the legal services we offer.