Did you lose a family member in a fatal accident in Norcross, GA?
At Schneider Williamson Car Accident & Personal Injury Attorneys, we are wrongful death lawyers who pursue full recovery for families after a preventable loss.
If your family member died because of another party’s negligence, Georgia law allows the family to seek compensation for the full value of the life that was lost. A Norcross, GA wrongful death lawyer can determine who is entitled to bring the claim and can assemble the evidence needed to prove responsibility.
Schneider Williamson Car Accident & Personal Injury Attorneys has more than 50 years of combined experience in wrongful death litigation, and our results include trial verdicts and an eight-figure settlement for surviving families. Our practice is limited to the side of the injured and their survivors. We invite you to request a free consultation when you are ready to discuss what happened.
Wrongful Death Lawyer Norcross, GA
A wrongful death attorney represents the surviving family when a person is killed by the negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct of another party. The attorney’s work includes investigating the cause of the death, identifying every party that bears responsibility, and proving the financial and personal losses that resulted. We also handle the related claim that belongs to the estate, so that the family is not required to coordinate two separate proceedings on its own.
According to Georgia highway safety data, Georgia recorded 1,615 traffic fatalities in 2023. 150 of the people killed were pedestrians in the 11-county Atlanta region that includes Gwinnett County. Fatal crashes are the most frequent source of wrongful death claims, although deaths caused by unsafe property, defective products, and violent crime on poorly secured premises give rise to claims as well.
Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in Norcross
A wrongful death claim can arise from any incident in which negligence costs a person’s life, and the evidence required differs considerably from one kind of case to another. Wrongful death attorneys at our firm represent families in each of the following matters.
- Car accidents. Collisions caused by speeding, distraction, or impairment account for a large share of wrongful death claims. The investigation relies on the police report, vehicle data, and witness testimony, and it should begin before the vehicles are repaired or destroyed.
- Tractor-trailer accidents. A tractor-trailer accident frequently involves the trucking company and its insurer in addition to the driver. Driver logs, maintenance files, and onboard recordings establish whether safety rules were ignored.
- Pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians have no protection in a collision with a vehicle, and liability frequently depends on where the person was crossing and whether the driver was watching the road. Video from nearby businesses can settle those questions when it is obtained promptly.
- Slip and fall accidents. A fall can be fatal, particularly for an older adult, and CDC data show that the rate of fall-related deaths among older adults is rising. The property owner is responsible when a hazard it knew about, or should have discovered, caused the fall.
- Negligent security. An owner who fails to provide reasonable security can be held responsible when a foreseeable crime on the property takes a life.
- Dog bites. Fatal attacks are uncommon, but CDC figures on fatal dog attacks show that the annual number has increased. The owner’s knowledge of the dog’s prior aggression is the principal issue.
- Product liability. A manufacturer or seller can be held responsible when a defective vehicle, machine, or consumer product causes a death. These cases depend on engineering analysis and on the product’s design and testing history.
- Road defects. A government body or contractor can bear responsibility when a dangerous road condition contributes to a fatal crash. Claims of this kind carry notice requirements that apply well before the ordinary filing deadline.
Why Choose Schneider Williamson Car Accident & Personal Injury Attorneys as my Wrongful Death Lawyer in Norcross, GA?
Trial Experience in Fatal Injury Litigation
Campbell Williamson tries motor vehicle, commercial vehicle, and premises liability cases in Georgia’s state and federal courts. He is a 2015 graduate of Emory University School of Law, and Georgia Super Lawyers placed him on its Rising Stars list for five consecutive years, 2020 through 2024. Jason Schneider completed his legal studies at Emory in 1984, has earned Martindale-Hubbell’s AV rating, and belongs to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. His court admissions include the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The family of a person killed through negligence needs a personal injury lawyer in Norcross, GA who is prepared to try the case, and that preparation is the standard we apply.
Recoveries Obtained for Surviving Families
Wrongful death cases represent a significant part of the millions of dollars recovered for the families we have represented. Among them are a $15,000,000 wrongful death settlement and a $2,500,000 settlement in a road defect case. Two wrongful death cases that went to trial ended in verdicts of $1,500,000 and $1,000,000.
Our fees are contingent upon a recovery, and the family owes no attorney fee unless compensation is obtained.
What Is Important to Understand About a Wrongful Death Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Cases
A death caused by negligence gives rise to two distinct claims in Georgia, and each compensates a different loss.
- The wrongful death claim. This claim belongs to the surviving family and seeks the full value of the life of the person who died. That value includes the income the person would have earned and the intangible worth of the life itself, measured from the perspective of the person who lost it.
- The estate’s claim. This claim is brought by the estate’s representative and recovers medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, and compensation for the pain the person endured before death.
Liability is established in the same manner as in any negligence case, by proving that the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care and that the failure caused the death. Defendants frequently contend that the person who died was partly responsible. A jury then assigns a share of fault to each party and reduces the recovery accordingly. No recovery is permitted if the share assigned to the person who died reaches 50 percent. Payment ordinarily comes from the defendant’s liability policy or from a commercial insurer. Thorough proof of the person’s earnings and family role supports the full value of the case.
What Is The Wrongful Death Case Timeline?
A wrongful death case generally takes longer than an injury claim, because an estate must often be opened and the investigation is more extensive. A wrongful death attorney in Norcross can begin preserving evidence while those first steps are under way.
- Initial investigation. We obtain the incident report, the medical examiner’s findings, and any available video, and we send written requests that evidence be preserved.
- Estate administration. A representative is appointed for the estate through the probate court so that the estate’s claim can be pursued alongside the family’s claim.
- Proof of loss. We gather employment and financial records, and we speak with family members about the role the person played in their lives.
- Demand and negotiation. We present the claim to the responsible party’s insurer with supporting documentation. Many cases are resolved at this stage or in mediation.
- Litigation. We file suit when the insurer disputes liability or will not offer an amount that reflects the loss, and the case proceeds through discovery toward trial.
What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Case?
Three matters deserve a family’s attention at the outset, because each of them affects whether and how the claim can proceed.
- Who may bring the claim. Georgia law gives the right to file first to the surviving spouse. Children hold the right when there is no spouse, and parents or the estate’s representative hold it in other circumstances.
- The filing deadline. A wrongful death lawsuit must generally be filed within two years of the death under the limitation period in O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Certain circumstances can pause that deadline, and claims against government bodies require earlier written notice.
- Related proceedings. A criminal prosecution or a regulatory investigation may arise from the same death. Neither proceeding controls the civil case, which can succeed without a criminal conviction.
What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Consultation?
We understand that gathering documents is difficult after a loss, and the consultation can proceed with whatever is available.
- The death certificate, if it has been issued
- Any police, incident, or medical examiner’s report
- Correspondence received from an insurance company
- Information about the person’s employment and income
- Any will or estate documents
During the consultation, a Norcross wrongful death attorney will listen to the family’s account and review the available records. We explain which family members hold the claim, which parties appear to be responsible, and what the case would involve from this point forward.
Reach Out to Schneider Williamson Car Accident & Personal Injury Attorneys to Schedule a Consultation
No legal claim can repair the loss of a family member, but it can secure the family’s financial future and establish who was responsible. A consultation with Schneider Williamson Car Accident & Personal Injury Attorneys is free, and our fee is paid only from a recovery. We will review the circumstances of the death, answer the family’s questions, and explain the steps that follow. New inquiries receive a timely reply. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a wrongful death lawyer in Norcross, GA.
