Dunwoody Wrongful Death Lawyer

Georgia is known for a lot of things, like its peaches and pecans, but it’s also unfortunately known for a large amount of traffic fatalities, too. In fact, Georgia was ranked 4th in a list outlining the states with the greatest number of traffic deaths in 2020.

If your loved one suddenly passes away in an accident that wasn’t their fault, then you’ll inevitably experience a flood of emotions like grief and anger. It’s natural to want to assign all the blame and responsibility onto another person.

Sometimes, though, that blame is justified, and the person responsible for the accident should step up and cover the financial losses that occur after the accident. If you’re wondering whether the other party could be held financially liable for your losses after an accident in Georgia, then it’s time to get in touch with a wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody. Learn more about wrongful death claims and whether or not you should seek one out below.

Understanding the Definition of a Wrongful Death

One of the main reasons you’ll want to get in touch with a wrongful death attorney in Dunwoody after the accident is to determine if you have any basis to seek out a legal claim for financial compensation. After your loved one’s accident, you likely experienced sudden and unexpected financial losses. From covering your loved one’s burial costs to covering expenses like property damage to that person’s vehicle, you could be out a lot of money.

A wrongful death claim helps you seek out financial compensation for those losses.

Not every unintentional death gives rise to a wrongful death claim, though. To be considered a wrongful death, your case must have all the following elements:

• A legal duty to provide for your loved one’s care existed
• The other party failed to uphold their duty of care
• This breach in a duty to care for your loved one directly caused the accident
• The accident led to a fatality and specific damages

The first two elements of your claim are often the most difficult to prove. For instance, not every person has a legal duty to provide for another person’s care. With that in mind, simply causing a fatal accident isn’t enough to justify a wrongful death claim.

It’s important to get in touch with a wrongful death attorney in Dunwoody to learn more about whether a legal duty of care existed in your loved one’s situation or not.

How Can a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Dunwoody Help after a Fatality?

Determining whether a legal duty of care existed in your loved one’s accident is only one way that a wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody can help you after a loved one’s fatality. They’ll help you determine whether it’s worth your time and effort to pursue a claim. Along the way, they’ll help with:

• Valuing your wrongful death claim
• Identifying the potentially liable parties
• Collecting evidence to prove negligence
• Documenting your financial losses
• Strengthening your claim
• Filing the appropriate legal paperwork
• Negotiating with the other party
• Representing you in court
• Hiring expert witnesses

In the best cases, your attorney will help you fully financially recover from your loved one’s fatality. While no amount of money can provide closure for you, it’s still important for you to exercise your legal rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.

What Should You Look for in a Wrongful Death Lawyer?

While every wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody should be able to provide the benefits above, not all lawyers will offer the same level of service, expertise, and compassion. In order to make sure that you hire the very best lawyer, you’ll need to do a little research.

Otherwise, you could wind up hiring a subpar lawyer who has never handled a case like yours before or who doesn’t really have the time necessary to pursue your lawsuit.

Learn more about what qualities to look for as you search for an attorney to help you with your case below.

Qualifications and Experience

First of all, you need to hire an attorney who has the necessary qualifications to represent you. In your situation, it’s only fitting to hire a lawyer who has extensive experience representing clients in wrongful death claims. There are many different types of lawyers in Dunwoody, so be sure you look for a firm in the wrongful death niche. A personal injury attorney or general car accident lawyer just won’t do.

Your lawyer should also be operating in either Dunwoody or a nearby area. That way, they’ll be very familiar with the local courtrooms and laws.

Reputation and Reviews

Next, consider the lawyer or firm’s reputation and reviews. You should be able to locate a few different reviews and statements from past clients by searching online. One or two bad reviews shouldn’t immediately disqualify the lawyer, but you should read through every review to look for any serious red flags. For instance, if three different past clients quote the same problem getting in touch with their lawyer, then you might want to move on and look for another lawyer.

Understanding Your Case and Your Needs

Of course, you also need to hire a wrongful death law firm in Dunwoody that actually understands your case and needs. A lawyer who isn’t concerned about what you and your family are going through isn’t worth hiring, even if they do have 5-star reviews and good past case results. You can sus out your potential lawyer’s personality and empathy levels by scheduling a free consultation before signing any agreements.

Types of Cases Handled by a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Dunwoody

Every fatal accident situation is unique. As you’d imagine, there are many different types of accidents that can cause a fatality and that also presupposes a legal duty of care. A wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody should be able to handle many different types of accidents. Below, we’ll go over some of the most common types of cases a wrongful death attorney can handle.

Car Accidents

When two cars collide at high speeds, the results can be fatal. Every person who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle automatically assumes a legal duty to provide for the care and safety of everyone else on the road. If a fatality does occur, then the at-fault driver could be held financially responsible for the losses.

Motorcycle Accidents

One common situation that can lead to a fatal accident is a motorcycle crash. Bikers are more vulnerable to fatal accidents for several reasons. For one, they don’t have the same level of protection as individuals traveling in passenger vehicles. For another, they often get thrown from their bike on impact.

Truck Accidents

Trucking accidents can also lead to fatal injuries. Trucking accidents can be catastrophic because trucks are bigger than traditional cars, very heavy, and usually traveling at high speeds on highways. Together, these factors make trucking accidents one of the most dangerous types of accidents. Even worse, trucking accidents can also be multi-vehicle collisions when they occur on roads like highways and freeways.

Pedestrian Accidents

Vehicles that strike pedestrians at fast speeds are almost inevitably going to cause fatalities or very substantial injuries. Not only will the car likely launch the pedestrian, but the impact of the vehicle is sure to cause damage in and of itself.

Bicycle Accidents

In Dunwoody, it’s legal for bicyclists of any age to ride on sidewalks. Bicyclists may, at times, need to travel on the roadways or cross the street. When this happens, a collision can occur. Bicycle accidents can cause fatalities, especially if the biker isn’t wearing proper safety gear like a helmet.

Process Involved with Seeking Out a Wrongful Death Claim

Hiring a wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody is not a legal requirement to seek out a claim. Most individuals do hire a legal expert, though, because the process involved with seeking out a wrongful death claim can be very overwhelming and confusing. Learn more about what to expect as you go through the steps below.

Initial Consultation

First, you’ll schedule an initial consultation with a few potential lawyers. During this meeting, you should inform the lawyer about the facts and circumstances surrounding your loved one’s accident and the losses you’re experiencing. While your attorney will have a lot of questions, you should also ask questions to make sure the lawyer seems like a good fit for your needs.

Investigating the Case and Negotiating with Insurance Companies

Once you hire the lawyer or firm, the attorney will immediately begin investigating the case. They’ll work hard to determine who is potentially liable for the accident, what evidence they can secure to prove fault, the losses you’ve experienced, and more. They will also negotiate with any necessary parties including insurance companies who may play a role in paying some compensation to you.

Contact Our Wrongful Death Law Firm in Dunwoody to Get Started

The process involved with seeking out a wrongful death claim can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already attempting to deal with the grief of losing your loved one. The good news is that if you hire the right wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody, your attorney will handle most of the legal aspects of your claim. Above, we provided you with enough information to help you make a wise and informed choice regarding the lawyer you should hire in your situation.

Our firm strives to exemplify all the qualities we outlined above and more. We offer our clients not only our legal knowledge and expertise but also our compassion and understanding. We know that your loved one’s passing was unexpected and difficult to understand. Let us analyze the specifics of what happened to determine if you have any legal options for financial recovery.

Schedule a consultation with our firm now to discuss your situation in more detail. And don’t forget to check out out pages for Atlanta Wrongful Death Attorney and Sandy Springs Negligent Security Lawyer.