Valdosta, GA Wrongful Death Lawyer

Valdosta Wrongful Death Attorney

Whenever someone harms another person through negligence or illegal misconduct in Valdosta, GA, this incident can lead to a personal injury claim. The objective of a personal injury claim is for the injured party to prove fault for their injury and hold the at-fault party accountable for the losses they suffered. Unfortunately, some victims of personal injuries do not survive their experiences. If your family has recently lost a loved one due to the actions of another party, a wrongful death suit can effectively replace the personal injury claim they could have filed if they survived.

Compassionate Legal Counsel for Wrongful Death Claims in Valdosta, GA

While a wrongful death suit mirrors a personal injury claim in many procedural respects, these are different types of cases that require different considerations. Having an experienced Valdosta wrongful death attorney helping you with your claim can significantly improve your chances of success; you will also be more likely to maximize your final case award with an attorney’s help.

Spohrer Dodd has years of experience helping clients through all types of personal injury cases throughout Southeast Georgia, and we know how devastating a wrongful death can be for the victim’s family. You’re likely to have many pressing legal questions that you cannot answer on your own in the aftermath of a loved one’s unexpected death, and knowing another party caused their death can add frustration to an already powerful mix of emotions. Our team can provide the support and reassurance you need to approach a wrongful death claim with confidence and peace of mind, and the sooner you reach out to us, the more time we have to develop a compelling case for you.

Proving Fault for a Wrongful Death

Similar to a personal injury case, a wrongful death claim requires proving fault before a plaintiff can recover compensation for their losses. Wrongful deaths happen in many ways, including motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents, work-related accidents, and acts of intentional misconduct. Your Valdosta wrongful death attorney can help determine what evidence you may need to firmly establish liability for your loved one’s death.

When a wrongful death occurs because of negligence, the plaintiff must identify the defendant who caused the death and then prove they failed to act with reasonable care in the situation. Alternatively, if the death occurred because of another party’s illegal act, such as driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, they are likely to face criminal charges from the state. Proving fault for the death may be easier in some such cases, but when your wrongful death suit unfolds in tandem with a criminal case filed by the state, you will need an experienced attorney to explain how the criminal case could interact with your wrongful death suit and influence your final recovery.

Compensation Available for a Wrongful Death Claim in Valdosta

While the purpose of a personal injury claim is for the plaintiff to recover compensation for their losses, the objective of a wrongful death suit is to compensate the family of the victim. It’s possible for a successful wrongful death claim to yield various forms of compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, such as:

• Lost financial support. If the deceased provided income to their family, it is possible for the family to recover compensation for the future income the deceased can no longer provide. Your Valdosta wrongful death attorney can help accurately calculate this aspect of your claimed damages.
• Damages to the estate, such as funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses for the deceased’s final treatment of their illness or injury, and property damage caused by the defendant.
• Compensation for the family’s pain and suffering. The surviving spouse of the deceased can receive compensation for loss of affection and consortium, and the surviving children can receive compensation for loss of parental companionship.
• Punitive damages. These are not claimed directly by the plaintiff but are instead awarded at a judge’s discretion when a defendant’s actions have exceeded the typical definition of negligence. The amount the plaintiffs receive in punitive damages typically depends on the severity of the defendant’s actions and the defendant’s overall financial status.

A successful wrongful death suit could yield more compensation than you may expect, and having the right attorney assist you with your case is the optimal way to increase your final case award as much as Georgia law allows.

What to Expect From Your Valdosta Wrongful Death Attorney

The team at Spohrer Dodd has extensive experience representing clients throughout the southeast part of the state in a wide range of civil cases, and we know how emotionally challenging any wrongful death suit can be for the victim’s family. Our firm takes time to get to know every client we represent, providing personalized legal counsel through every stage of their wrongful death case.

Most wrongful death claims and other civil suits filed end in private settlement negotiations rather than going to court. As long as the defendant accepts liability for the death and agrees to negotiate, settlement allows both parties to resolve their case in a fraction of the time that litigation would require. However, if the parties cannot resolve the case privately, they will need to litigate. When a wrongful death claim must go to court, the judge will have the final say regarding liability for the death and the compensation the defendant owes to the victim’s family.

You have a limited time in which to file a wrongful death suit in Valdosta, and it is possible for any wrongful death claim to generate difficult questions that you will not be able to answer on your own. To have the greatest chance of success with any civil claim for damages, it is vital to have legal representation you trust on your side. This is especially true for inherently challenging civil claims like wrongful death suits. When you choose Spohrer Dodd to represent your case, you are investing in years of professional legal experience and a team of dedicated legal advocates ready to provide ongoing support through every stage of your case.

Wrongful Death Lawyers FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can You Claim in a Wrongful Death Suit?

A: The goal of a wrongful death suit is to hold an at-fault party accountable for the economic impact of a wrongful death on the victim’s family. Your Valdosta wrongful death attorney can help identify the various forms of compensation you can include in your suit, including lost financial support provided by the deceased, funeral and burial expenses, and the family’s pain and suffering.

Q: How Do You Prove Fault for a Wrongful Death?

A: Proving liability for a wrongful death is very similar to how you would prove fault for a personal injury in Valdosta. You must identify the party responsible for causing the death and then prove the full extent of the resulting damages. Wrongful deaths may occur from acts of negligence, such as distracted driving, moving violations, or premises liability; they may also result from intentional misconduct, such as illegal activity.

Q: Who Is Qualified to File a Wrongful Death Claim?

A: Georgia law restricts the right to file a wrongful death claim to the closest surviving relatives of the victim’s family, such as their surviving spouse or children. If the deceased did not have a spouse and/or children, their surviving parents could file the claim instead. If the deceased named a personal representative in their estate, this individual will be responsible for handling the wrongful death suit and holding the proceeds from a successful suit for the beneficiaries of the estate.

Q: Do I Need an Attorney to File a Wrongful Death Suit?

A: It is vital to secure legal representation you trust for a wrongful death claim in Valdosta. While hiring an attorney is not a strict requirement, you are far more likely to succeed with the claim when you have legal representation you can trust advising you. If you do not hire an attorney, you will be forced to contend with the procedural issues of your case while struggling with the impact of your loved one’s untimely death. Ultimately, hiring a Valdosta wrongful death attorney increases your chances of success with the claim and significantly increases your chances of maximizing your total recovery.

Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Valdosta Wrongful Death Attorney?

A: Most wrongful death attorneys work on contingency. With a contingency fee agreement, the attorney only takes their fee after they win the client’s case, and their fee is a percentage of the total amount recovered. There is no fee at all if the attorney is unsuccessful with the case. Always take time to verify the terms of a prospective attorney’s billing policy before you agree to their representation.

Experiencing a wrongful death in the family is never easy, and the money you win from a successful case can never make up for the loss of a loved one. However, success with your wrongful death claim can provide you and your family with a sense of closure and provide financial compensation that makes adjusting to your new circumstances a bit easier. Contact Spohrer Dodd today to schedule a free consultation with our team and learn how an experienced Valdosta wrongful death attorney can assist you with your impending wrongful death suit.