Snellville Wrongful Death Attorney
Wrongful Death Lawyer Assisting Snellville Residents
Snellville Truck Accidents and Snellville Car Accidents are leading causes of wrongful deaths, not only in Snellville but throughout the surrounding areas. Dozens of accident victims are killed every year on Gwinnett County roads, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders. Reach out to our Snellville Wrongful Death Attorneys for legal help.
Some traffic crashes on I-85 are fatal because of high speeds and heavy truck traffic. Some traffic collisions on I-85 are fatal just because of simple negligence. Fatal collisions also occur at dangerous intersections, including Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross.
The area of Highway 316 which connects to State Route 20 in Lawrenceville is another crash-prone intersection where lives are lost.
In addition to lives lost because of traffic accidents, wrongful deaths also sometimes occur because of egregious nursing home neglect. One of the worst cases of nursing home neglect we have worked on was covered by the news channels for months. Our Snellville wrongful death attorneys help families rebuild their lives after negligence or misconduct causes the death of a loved one.
What Is a Wrongful Death in Georgia?
Georgia law regards any death caused by another person without legal justification as wrongful death. Wrongful deaths can be caused by intentional or negligent conduct. Everyone has a duty to avoid behavior that could foreseeably cause a death. People who neglect that duty can be held responsible when their carelessness causes a death.
Intentionally causing death without legal justification is murder. When a murder could have been prevented by a property owner, Georgia courts will often hold the property owner responsible for wrongful death. The failure to replace a broken security lock on an apartment building door, the failure to have adequate security in a crime-prone business, or the failure to install adequate lighting in a parking lot are examples of negligent conduct that contributes to wrongful deaths. When business owners know that they should provide security, yet they fail to do what they are supposed to, the legal system can hold them responsible.
Property owners can also be held responsible for wrongful deaths when they fail to warn property users of hazardous conditions, fail to prevent children from falling into an unguarded swimming pool, or fail to correct dangerous conditions (such as missing stair rails). Businesses can be responsible for wrongful deaths when they erect scaffolding that collapses on pedestrians, when construction workers drop tools that kill a passerby, and when they fail to protect victims from improperly stored explosives or poisons.
Manufacturers are responsible for dangerous and defective products, such as airbags that explode, tires that shred, appliances that tip over on climbing children, or electric blankets that start on fire. Pharmaceutical and medical companies are responsible for wrongful death when they manufacture drugs or medical devices that kill patients.
What Compensation Is Paid for a Georgia Wrongful Death?
Georgia law authorizes juries to award the “full value” of the victim’s life. The value of life includes the earnings and other income the victim would have received if the victim had lived a normal lifespan. Economists and vocational experts help our Snellville personal injury attorneys to determine the economic value of life.
Economic value also includes the value of services the victim would have provided to the family. From mowing the lawn and taking out the trash to cooking dinner and folding the laundry, services have economic value that expert witnesses can calculate.
The full value of life also includes noneconomic value. Death deprives the victim of the pleasure of life. Different people find pleasure in different ways. Watching football, playing cards with friends, restoring classic cars, and building a family are just a few of the ways that people add value to their lives. When life is cut short, all of that value is lost. Juries award a sum that they deem sufficient to reflect that value.
There is no formula for valuing life. Our firm works closely with families to learn what made their loved ones appreciate life. We then show the jury what life meant to the victim. Based on our experience handling wrongful death cases in Gwinnett County, we have a good sense of how to persuade jurors to award the full value of a victim’s life.
Georgia law defines which family members can bring a wrongful death claim and how the proceeds are distributed. Our Georgia Wrongful Death Law FAQ explains Georgia law in more detail.
Why Should a Family Hire Tobin Injury Law for a Wrongful Death Case?
Our Lawrenceville personal injury law firm is dedicated to helping families rebuild after a wrongful death. We know that dependents need the money that the victim would have contributed to the family. Families need to recover that lost income to get their financial lives back on track. And perhaps just as importantly families need justice. No money will ever undo the loss suffered, but jury awards do give some level of closure. Families also need the emotional satisfaction of knowing that the value of their loved one’s life has been recognized.
We understand Georgia juries. We use our experience as Georgia trial lawyers to handle claims of wrongful death throughout the State of Georgia. We have helped families in Snellville, Lawrenceville, and Grayson, as well as families in other cities in other parts of the country.
If You Have Questions, Contact a Snellville Wrongful Death Attorney
Our Snellville Wrongful Death Attorneys are available to answer questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We promise to do our best and promise to help as much as we can. We offer our services at no cost. We only get paid at the end of the case and we only get paid a percentage of what recover for our clients. You can contact us by telephone at (678) 263-3733, or by email.