A wrongful death case exists when negligence or some other action of a person or entity leads to an individual’s death. A case of wrongful death is similar to a case of personal injury, with two major differences.

1. WRONGFUL DEATH IN GEORGIA
What it is and how to get started on your claim
thestoddardfirm.com

2. WHAT IS WRONGFUL
DEATH?
A wrongful death case exists when negligence or
some other action of a person or entity leads to an
individual’s death. A case of wrongful death is similar
to a case of personal injury, with two major
differences.
The first difference is that a wrongful death case is
brought by someone other than the injured person,
i.e., the injured person’s heirs. The second difference
is that the types of damages awarded in wrongful
death cases are different from those awarded in
personal injury.
z
thestoddardfirm.com
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS

3. WHO CAN FILE A
WRONGFUL DEATH
CLAIM?
Wrongful death claims are usually filed by
family members of the deceased. Technically,
wrongful death cases are brought by the
heirs to the deceased. This may include:
The surviving spouse of the deceased
The children of the deceased
The parents of the deceased
The brothers and sisters of the deceased
Other more distant relatives
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

4. WHY FILE A WRONGFUL
DEATH CLAIM?
If you’ve lost someone, you may want to file a
wrongful death claim to get a feeling of
closure and justice concerning the death of
your loved one. Families that have lost a main
financial provider may need to file a case in
order to provide for their financial needs.
There are a variety of reasons to file a
wrongful death claim, but the most important
thing is getting the process started. That’s how
justice begins.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

5. WHAT ARE COMMON
CAUSES OF WRONGFUL
DEATH?
Wrongful death can happen to anyone, anywhere. That
being said, there are certain situations and certain actions
that are more likely to kill people than others. Some of the
most common instances of potential wrongful death
include the following:
Every year, about 35,000 people die in automobile
accidents in the United States.
About 30,000 people die in fall-related accidents
annually.
Accidental poisoning kills about 40,000 people each year.
About 5,000 workers are killed on the job each year.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

6. TYPES OF DAMAGES IN
WRONGFUL DEATH
In a case of wrongful death, the measure of
damages is the value of the life measured
from the perspective of the deceased. This
value includes lost future earnings, medical
bills, and all the intangible elements of a
person’s life such as loss of happiness, loss of
the relationships with family and friends, loss
of the ability to raise children, etc. These
damages are often divided into (i) intangible
elements, and (ii) tangible elements.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

7. WRONGFUL DEATH
DAMAGES 1: INTANGIBLE
VALUE OF LIFE
Intangible value of life covers those parts of a person’s
life that can’t be translated into monetary amounts in
a straightforward way. This includes things like time
spent with loved ones, relaxation, and major life
events the deceased missed out on.
It’s not easy to translate these figures into a dollar
amount, but a skilled attorney can argue for these
things and prove their value in court. They can’t make
up for the death, but the legal system can recognize
their value in some way.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

8. WRONGFUL DEATH
DAMAGES 2: TANGIBLE
VALUE OF LIFE
Tangible value of life covers those parts of life that
are relatively easy to put into monetary amounts.
This includes things like the estimated amount the
deceased would have earned in his or her lifetime,
had the accident not taken place. It also includes
the value of everyday things like mowing the lawn,
taking out the trash, and running errands.
When the two types of damages are combined, you
have the total amount of damages for the case.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

9. HOW LONG DOES A
WRONGFUL DEATH CASE
TAKE?
It’s not easy to estimate how long a wrongful death
case will take. A case can last a few months, or even
a few years. More complex cases generally take
longer than simpler cases.
As a rule of thumb, cases that end in a settlement
generally take less time than cases that go to court.
If both parties can come to an agreement out of
court, things can be settled fairly quickly.
Contact our Atlanta wrongful death lawyer for a free
consultation to discuss your options.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

10. HOW TO GET
STARTED?
A wrongful death case begins with a letter of
representation sent from your attorney to the
negligent individual/entity. That being said,
investigating and preparing the case can take
some time before the attorney is ready to send
the letter.
The main thing you need to know is that if you’ve
lost someone in an accident, you should talk to an
attorney you can trust as soon as possible.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com

11. CONTACT US
If you believe you have a case of wrongful death,
contact our experienced and trusted attorneys at The
Stoddard Firm as soon as possible. We offer a free
initial consultation, so you can get the attorney’s
assessment of your case before committing to sue
anyone. If you believe you have a case, the clock is
ticking. Go ahead and contact our wrongful death
attorneys today.
Call us at 678-RESULTS or use our online form.
z
Call us today at:
404.593.2695 or 678-RESULTS
thestoddardfirm.com