Fatal Accident Atlanta: A Complete Guide to Seeking Compensation
If someone you love was a victim of an Atlanta fatal accident, The Orlando Firm’s wrongful death lawyers could help you seek justice, compensation, and closure.
The Orlando Firm are your personal injury attorneys with the experience to win.
How to Deal With a Fatal Accident Atlanta
Each year, countless residents in the state of Georgia are involved in a fatal accident in Atlanta. Losing a loved one is never easy for the family and loved ones of the victim, and in such a difficult time, there are essential things they need to know. For example, Georgia statutes govern what makes up a wrongful death claim, who can submit one, and how rapidly the case needs to be submitted.
When a wrongful death claim is filed, financial damages are requested from the person or people whose careless driving or other actions resulted in another driver or pedestrian’s death. Since the victim is unable to seek compensation, their survivors should take action on their behalf. This permits them to pursue a settlement for the losses they experience from the premature death.
After an untimely death or injury, The Orlando Firm in Atlanta, GA will help those closest to the victim find comfort and a sense of justice so they can begin to move forward with their lives.
Fatal Car Accident Atlanta Facts
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that a fatal car accident in Atlanta is one of Georgia’s leading causes of death. These crashes are the number one cause of death for people aged five through thirty-four. What makes this fact especially troubling is that many deadly automobile crashes are avoidable.
Keep in mind that these claims must adhere to a strict two-year statute of limitations in Georgia. Therefore, the family has two years from the date of their loved one’s death to collect proof, call a lawyer, and begin the claims procedure. After two years, the family is unable to sue for compensation.
Contact an Attorney If a Member of Your Family Was Killed on the Road
With a large amount of traffic in Atlanta and throughout Georgia, a vehicle accident is more likely to happen here than in less busy locations. According to the news source Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), in 2021, northbound lanes were temporarily closed when Atlanta police responded to reports that a man was killed on Moreland Avenue. Where this was initially believed to be a pedestrian accident, it was found that the man was already lying in the road when he was struck by as many as two automobiles.
Although every crash is unique, some of the injuries that a passenger or a pedestrian might experience in a one, two, or multi-vehicle accident include the following:
If a family member was the victim of an auto crash fatality in Dekalb County, a representative from The Orlando Firm should be contacted as near as possible to the date of the fatal accident in Atlanta to make certain the legal steps are taken before the statute of limitations has expired. Please grab the phone and call us toll-free at (866) 373-1800.
What to Do After an Atlanta Fatal Accident
While no quantity of cash can replace a loved one who has been killed in an Atlanta fatal accident, a certified Georgia lawyer can assist you in getting a monetary settlement. Financial compensation for the loved one’s wrongful death is the only method civil law has to hold people or businesses responsible for injuries or death caused by a vehicle crash.
A “survival action” is one method an administrator or executor of the departed individual’s estate can take to recover punitive damages for the person’s discomfort and suffering before death, hospital cost, and funeral expenses. However, the money received due to a “survival action” is subject to liens for outstanding bills from health insurance, medical care, and other creditors.
A skilled and knowledgeable attorney will help the family or executor navigate these tricky issues.
Bringing a Wrongful Death Suit
If you are bringing a wrongful death suit after a deadly car or truck accident, according to Georgia statute, you must be a designated relative, such as a:
- Spouse.
- Child.
- Parent.
- Legal heir or successor.
In a wrongful death suit, family members may be able to recuperate cash for the “full value of the life” of the deceased. This consists of financial damages (predicted lifetime earnings, without deductions for income taxes, living expenses, or reduction of the value of their services) and intangible aspects like the joy of life.
The Orlando Firm believes every vehicle accident is serious, and those involving a fatality will hurt the family for many years to come. Call us for assistance.
Who Family Members Can Sue After a Fatal Crash Atlanta
After a fatal crash in Atlanta, the surviving partner may file a wrongful death case against the other driver if they are deemed to be responsible for the collision. In a multi-vehicle accident, determining who was primarily at fault is more complicated. Atlanta police will search the scene and question witnesses to place the time and gather information to ascertain precisely what occurred.
The surviving spouse must divide the wrongful death recovery evenly with the children of the deceased. If they were minors when their parent lost his or her life, the offsprings’ share is often reserved until they become 18 years old.
Who Can Bring a Wrongful Death Case If There Is No Surviving Spouse
When there is no surviving partner, the victim’s children can bring a wrongful death case.
If there are neither a surviving spouse nor children, then under Georgia law, the decedent’s parents can make a claim against the at-fault driver or other responsible parties. If the parents are no longer together, the court will divide the settlement between them after weighing whatever aspects it considers relevant.
If the deceased has no surviving spouse, children, or parents within two years, the estate administrator can file a claim on behalf of the next of kin. The family of the driver or passenger who lost their life as a result of a collision on an Atlanta city street or interstate should contact our law office by phone or online for information and advice.
Atlanta Fatal Motorcycle Accident Information
An Atlanta fatal motorcycle accident is often more likely and more serious than a collision between similar size vehicles. In fact, they have a comparable mortality rate to victims of a pedestrian accident. Often, in a motorcycle or dirt bike crash, the rider is ejected from the seat by the impact.
Generally, police say that accidents involving two vehicles are around 35 times more likely to result in a motorcyclist’s death than those in other cars. This is partly because other drivers easily overlook bikes and partly due to their smaller size and overall lack of protection.
It is also important to recognize that due to the lack of visibility, more pedestrian accidents and motorcycle wrecks involving other drivers took place in the morning and during a.m. hours on the highway, where drivers may be less alert or otherwise more distracted.
Contact an Atlanta Accident Attorney If a Loved Has Had a Fatal Accident
The Orlando Firm represents clients whose loved one was killed in an Atlanta car accident, whether on the accident scene or later in the hospital from injuries received as a result. As your Atlanta accident attorneys, we will search for evidence to support the claim, provide advice, and advocate for you so you can begin the healing process.
If a loved one has been involved in a fatal accident in Atlanta, GA or Dekalb County, call us for a free consultation, where we will offer the legal assistance you need to begin to move forward with your life.
The Orlando Firm are your personal injury attorneys with the experience to win.