Columbus Wrongful Death Lawyers

Wrongful Death Attorneys in Columbus, GA, Who Know How to Win

The people we love make our lives meaningful. The loss of a loved one leaves a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. But we have to go on and make the best of things, knowing that’s what our loved one would have wanted for us.

When your loved one is taken away from you due to the careless and harmful actions of another person, it compounds the loss and makes it almost unbearable to think about. There is nothing in the world that could make up for what you have lost, but the people responsible must be held accountable for their reckless behavior.

A wrongful death lawsuit seeks justice for your loved one while helping you continue with your life. At Butler Prather LLP, we’ve been helping innocent victims get the resources they need to put their life back together for over 35 years. In that time, we’ve taken on some of the most powerful interests in the nation to get the compensation that our clients deserve.

Our trial lawyers at Butler Prather LLP win record-breaking cases. Our firm has obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for clients in over 30 states. We’ve won nine verdicts that exceed $100 million and over 60 verdicts and settlements of over $10 million.

Butler Prather LLP is always prepared to take your case to trial before a jury. Our investigators will gather all the evidence we need to hold the wrongdoer accountable for your loss, and then our Georgia wrongful death attorneys will take the necessary steps to maximize your recovery.

What Is a Wrongful Death?

For society to function properly, people need to take certain precautions. Everyone has a duty of care to avoid behavior that could foreseeably harm others. The intoxicated driver who gets behind the wheel of a car, a landlord who refuses to fix a broken stairway, and a nursing home that hires a staff member with a history of abuse are all examples of people who have violated their duty of care.

When people don’t look out for each other, bad things happen. Cruel and careless behavior has devastating consequences. A wrongful death claim results from the reckless, criminal, negligent, or intentional actions of another party. If the party that harmed your loved one disregarded the safety of others, you have the right to seek compensation.

Examples of wrongful death include:

Car accidents
Truck accidents
Work injuries
Dog attacks
Defective Products
Motorcycle accidents
Bicycle accidents
Violent crime
Premises liability
Drunk driving
Slip-and-fall accidents
Inadequate security
Nursing home neglect and abuse
Drivers who crash into pedestrians

Types of Wrongful Death Compensation Available in Georgia

It’s impossible to place a monetary value on human life, but a wrongful death claim can help you get the assistance you need at this difficult time. Victims are allowed to seek three types of compensation in a wrongful death claim: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. There are no caps on economic and non-economic damages in Georgia.

Economic damages refer to compensation for tangible monetary losses resulting from your love one’s death, such as burial costs and loss of future income. Non-economic damages refer to intangible losses, including the loss of love, companionship, and emotional support.

In Georgia, punitive damages penalize defendants whose actions have demonstrated willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or the entire want of care. These damages are meant to set an example and discourage others from committing similar acts in the future.

For most types of wrongful death claims, the state and Georgia places a $250,000 cap on punitive damages, and a portion of these proceeds goes directly to the state. But this cap is waved, and plaintiffs are allowed to seek unlimited punitive damages in the following circumstances:

Product liability
There is specific intent to cause harm
The defendant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol

How Your Wrongful Death Attorney Can Help

It’s extremely difficult to lose a loved one under any circumstance, and you may not know where to turn for help if their death occurred at the hands of another. You will always be treated with respect and compassion by the attorneys at Butler Prather LLP and everyone on our team.

A wrongful death claim is a civil legal action. The person who killed your loved one may be facing criminal charges, but this isn’t necessary for you to collect a settlement or a legal wrongful death judgment in court.

There are several ways we assist families of victims of wrongful death, including:

Filing claims and lawsuits
Answering your legal questions
Determining who’s eligible to receive compensation
Making sure necessary paperwork is filed on time
Investigating the death to establish liability
Preserving and collecting evidence
Determining when a lawsuit can be filed

Investigating a Wrongful Death

Your Columbus personal injury lawyer will conduct an investigation to determine if there is enough evidence to file a wrongful death claim.

No matter what event caused your loved one’s death, the investigators at Butler Prather LLP will leave no stone unturned to find out what really happened.

We will get to the accident as quickly as possible to begin our investigation. Our attorneys will file an injunction to prevent anyone from tampering with evidence. We will subpoena all the necessary documents to determine who is liable for your loved one’s death. Our investigation will include the following types of information:

Accident scene photographs
Medical records
Police reports
Eyewitness testimony
Expert witnesses
Coroner reports
Internal company documents
Surveillance camera video
Physical and forensic evidence

Who Is Liable for Your Loved One’s Death?

When our investigation is complete, our attorneys will file a claim against anyone whose negligence contributed to your loved one’s death. Liable parties may include:

Trucking and delivery companies
Negligent drivers
Private contractors
Mechanics
Employers
Public officials
Hospitals and nursing homes
Pharmaceutical companies
Manufacturers of defective auto parts
Doctors, medical professionals, and hospital staff

Damages Available in a Columbus Wrongful Death Lawsuit

If someone you love was wrongfully taken away, a family and a community have lost something that can never be replaced. The victim’s survivors have the right to seek compensation for their loss. This includes all the tangible and intangible things that your loved one contributed to the lives of everyone around them.

A wrongful death claim filed by your attorney will cover the following type of damages:

Loss of companionship
Financial damages
Loss of future earnings and benefits
Funeral and burial costs
Loss of consortium
Mental anguish
Loss of household services and assistance
Loss of care, companionship, guidance, and love
Medical expenses related to the illness or injury that caused your loved one’s death

Schedule Your Complimentary Consultation Today

Since 1988, Butler Prather LLP has been dedicated to aiding injured people and grieving families. Our Columbus attorneys have helped thousands of people get the resources they need to recover and care for their families after the death of a loved one.

We never stop fighting for our clients, and everyone in our office is compassionate and happy to listen. We treat all our clients with the utmost respect and are always available to address any of your questions or concerns.

The attorneys at Butler Prather LLP prepare every case for trial before a jury. If the other side refuses to make a reasonable offer, we are always ready to take them to court. No firm in Georgia can match our 30-year record of success.

Call Butler Prather LLP at (706) 322-1990 to discuss your case. Let us handle the legal process while you focus on healing.