Dunwoody Wrongful Death Attorneys

Are You in Need of a Dunwoody Wrongful Death Attorney?

Losing someone you love is heartbreaking. It’s something no one is ever prepared for. The pain feels unbearable, and when their death was caused by someone else’s actions, it’s even harder to process. You’re left with questions, grief, and a longing for justice. That’s where a Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer from Butler Prather LLP steps in. We understand what you’re going through—because we’ve walked beside families just like yours for over 35 years. Our team is here to listen, to care, and to fight for the answers you deserve. Let us help you find peace and hold those responsible accountable.

Why Choose Us Over Other Wrongful Death Lawyers in Dunwoody?

When you’re hurting, you need more than just any lawyer—you need a team that truly cares. Butler Prather LLP isn’t just another firm—our Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer team has over 35 years of experience, serving families in 30+ states. We’re a trusted PI lawyer group, with wins like the biggest collected judgment in the U.S. Our partners, including James E. Butler Jr., bring passion and top honors to every case. We offer free consultations and work on contingency, so you pay nothing upfront.

Butler Prather LLP: Wrongful Death Law Firm in Dunwoody

• Nationwide reach: We’ve brought justice to clients across more than 30 states, coast to coast.
• Decades of trust: Since opening our doors in 1988, we’ve built over 35 years of proven experience.
• Award-winning founder: Our founding partner, James E. Butler Jr., has been recognized by Super Lawyers based on peer evaluations and independent research, and he was among the youngest to earn an AV Preeminent 5.0 rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
• Community leaders: Our lawyers have served with distinction on the Georgia Board of Natural Resources, led national and local bar associations, and supported countless community charities.
• No-cost first step: We provide free consultations, so you can share your story without worry or financial obligations.
• You pay when we win: With a contingency-fee approach, you pay nothing unless we win for you.
• Record-breaking results: Our firm has shattered records time and time again, securing the largest collected judgment in U.S. history, plus 10 verdicts over $100 million, 60+ over $10 million, and 200+ exceeding $1 million.

Your Peace Starts Here—Connect with Butler Prather LLP Now for Compassionate Help. Call (706) 322-1990 to Get a Free Consultation

Do I Have a Wrongful Death Case?

Losing someone you love leaves a hole that words can’t fill. The empty chair at dinner, the laughter that’s gone quiet—it’s a loss that haunts you. When their death wasn’t an accident but someone’s fault, you might wonder if you can do something about it. At Butler Prather LLP, we feel your heartache, and as your Dunwoody personal injury attorneys, we’re here to help you find out if you have a case because they deserved better, and so do you.

A wrongful death case happens when someone dies because of another person’s negligence or wrongdoing. These aren’t just tragedies—they’re injustices. In Georgia, family members like spouses, children, or parents can file a claim if someone’s carelessness stole their life. It’s not about money replacing them, it’s about making things right.

Proving it takes a few key pieces. First, you show the other side had a duty and that they broke that duty. Next, you connect that failure to your loved one’s death, showing it wasn’t random but preventable. Finally, there’s the loss—your grief, the bills piling up, the future you planned together, gone. That’s what a wrongful death law firm like us fights to prove.

So, how do you know if you have a case? You might feel unsure, and that’s okay. Doubt is normal when your world’s upside down. But don’t let it stop you from asking. We offer free consultations because you deserve to know your options without pressure. Call us today—let’s talk about what happened. Your loved one’s life mattered, and we’ll fight to prove it.

Understanding Wrongful Death Laws in Georgia

Nothing prepares you for losing someone you love—especially when it didn’t have to happen. The pain is raw, and the questions linger. At Butler Prather LLP, we’re here as your Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer to guide you through Georgia’s laws with care, because your grief deserves answers and your loved one deserves justice.

What Constitutes a Wrongful Death in Georgia?

Legal Definition and Requirements

In Georgia, a wrongful death is when someone’s negligence or intentional act cuts a life short. To prove it, you need to show they had a duty—like keeping roads safe—failed at it, and caused the death. It’s about showing their mistake stole your loved one, leaving you with loss that’s real and measurable.

Common Causes of Wrongful Death

The reasons behind a wrongful death are as varied as the lives they take, but they all share one thing: they didn’t have to happen. It could be a reckless driver speeding through a red light. Workplace dangers (like unguarded machines or ignored safety checks). Defective products, from a faulty brake to a harmful drug, fail when trust is highest. A neglected spill in a store or a broken step at home might lead to a fall that ends it all. Every cause is a story of loss we fight to make right.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?

Eligible Family Members

Georgia law decides who can step forward to seek justice after a wrongful death. The spouse is first in line, carrying the weight of a shared life lost. If there’s no spouse, the children (grown or young) can take up the fight. Without kids, the parents, still mourning their child, have the right to file. If no one else remains, the person managing the estate can act, ensuring the departed isn’t forgotten.

How Wrongful Death Compensation Is Divided

Compensation isn’t just cash—it’s recognition of your pain. In Georgia, it splits between financial losses (like income they provided) and the value of their life to you (love, support, memories). If you’re the spouse, you get at least a third, and kids share the rest equally. Remember: compensation in a wrongful death case is not about replacing them. It’s about honoring what you’ve lost.

How Is Negligence Determined in a Wrongful Death Case?

When your loved one is gone, and it’s because someone didn’t care enough, the word “negligence” starts to echo in your mind. Negligence is when someone had a responsibility to keep others safe but failed—and that failure cost you everything. At Butler Prather LLP, we feel your sorrow deeply. As your Dunwoody wrongful death law firm, we’re here to unravel this for you, because your pain deserves answers, and their memory deserves justice.

Negligence has four parts we prove to fight for you:

1. Duty of care: They were supposed to keep your loved one safe—like a driver watching the road. But he sped through a light, and your loved one never came home.
2. Breach of duty: They didn’t do their job—like a driver who speeds through a light. As a result, your loved one never came home.
3. Causation: Their negligence directly caused the loss. Your loved one wouldn’t have died if the person you’re suing exercised due care.
4. Damages: It’s the toll on your heart and home—grief that overwhelms you, the wages they’d have earned now gone, and medical bills from their final fight piling up.

These four elements are the threads of your story—proof that your loved one mattered. At Butler Prather LLP, we’ve spent 35+ years helping families like yours find justice.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover for a Wrongful Death?

Here’s the hard truth. No amount of money can bring them back—their voice, their touch, the way they made your world brighter. But when someone’s negligence stole them, compensation can ease the burdens left behind.

• Lost income: The paychecks they’d have earned are now missing from your life.
• Medical bills: Costs from their final struggle, a burden they’d never have wanted you to carry alone.
• Funeral expenses: The price of saying goodbye, heavy on a heart already suffering.
• Loss of support: The daily help (fixing the car, helping with the chores, cooking dinner) now gone, leaving you adrift.
• Loss of companionship: Their love, their presence, the warmth you lived for, stolen too soon.
• Pain and suffering (theirs): If they suffered before passing, that agony counts and should be compensable.
• Full value of life: Their joy, wisdom, the future they promised is priceless, yet we fight to price it.

Our accident injury lawyer team, with 35+ years, knows how to value what’s irreplaceable. We’ve secured millions because your loss isn’t small. Every case is unique and we tailor the fight to every life that has been needlessly lost.

Common Types of Accident Leading to Wrongful Death Claims

Losing someone you love is a wound that won’t heal, a theft of someone irreplaceable. At Butler Prather LLP, your Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer, we feel your grief. As a personal injury law firm, we’re here to seek justice for all kinds of preventable tragedies, including but not limited to:

• Car accidents: Distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, ignoring traffic signals.
• Motorcycle accidents: Failure to yield, tailgating, lane-switching errors, drunk riding.
• Trucking accidents: Overloaded cargo, driver fatigue, poor maintenance, reckless passing.
• Auto defects: Faulty brakes, tire blowouts, airbag failures, steering malfunctions.
• Product liability: Defective appliances, unsafe toys, contaminated food, flawed tools.
• Construction accidents: Missing guardrails, ignored harness rules, faulty scaffolding, untrained workers.
• Nursing home negligence: Medication errors, ignored calls, poor hygiene, inadequate staffing.
• Premises liability: Wet floors, broken stairs, no warnings, dim lighting.
• Pedestrian accidents: Texting while driving, speeding near crosswalks, ignoring signals, drunk driving.
• Bicycle accidents: Dooring cyclists, cutting off paths, missing mirrors, reckless turns.
• Medical malpractice: Misdiagnosis, surgical slips, ignored symptoms, wrong prescriptions.
• Workplace incidents: Unchecked machines, no safety gear, toxic exposure, skipped training.

Each slip stole a piece of your world—your spouse’s smile, your child’s dreams, your parent’s voice. These aren’t just accidents; they’re betrayals of trust. With 35+ years, we’ve fought for families like yours, winning justice when it matters most.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Wrongful Death Case in Georgia?

In Georgia, the statute of limitations for a wrongful death case is usually two years from the day the deceased person passed. It’s a small window to process your pain and act, and might seem like an inhumane deadline when you’re still hearing their voice in the quiet. That’s two years to file, to prove how much your life has changed after their passing, and to hold the careless accountable. But exceptions can shift it—if a crime was involved or the cause wasn’t clear right away, the ticking might pause.

As a wrongful death law firm, we’ve guided families for over 35 years, knowing every second of grief feels endless, yet the law rushes on. Don’t let time slip through your fingers—your loved one’s story deserves to be told.

Don’t Let Your Loved One’s Story Fade. Reach Out Now for a Free Consultation with Butler Prather LLP—Call (706) 322-1990

Our Wrongful Death Process

The loss of a loved one due to negligence is a profound tragedy that demands both justice and closure. At Butler Prather LLP, your Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer, we provide a structured, professional approach to represent your interests. Our firm is committed to navigating this challenging journey with diligence, ensuring your case receives the attention it merits.

Our process includes the following steps:

1. Initial consultation: We begin by attentively listening to your account, understanding the circumstances and your loved one’s significance to you.
2. Case investigation: Our team conducts a thorough examination of the incident, identifying liable parties and gathering critical details.
3. Claim development: We construct a comprehensive case, integrating evidence to substantiate your loss and the responsible party’s negligence.
4. Advocacy and negotiation: We represent you assertively, engaging with opposing parties or insurers to secure a fair resolution.
5. Litigation, if necessary: Should a settlement not suffice, we proceed to trial, advocating relentlessly on your behalf.

The Critical Role of Evidence in Wrongful Death Cases

Evidence serves as the foundation upon which a successful wrongful death claim is built. As dedicated wrongful death attorneys, we understand the pivotal role in establishing liability and securing justice. Our wrongful death law firm meticulously collects tangible proof—accident reports, medical records, witness testimonies—to demonstrate negligence. A PI lawyer at our firm may secure additional materials, such as surveillance footage, electronic communications, or expert analyses, to strengthen your position. Without evidence, your pursuit of accountability may fail, so never underestimate the role of evidence in your case.

Contact Our Dunwoody Wrongful Death Lawyers Today

If your loved one’s absence haunts every quiet moment, we can help. Start healing with the support and justice you need by contacting Butler Prather LLP. Get your free consultation by calling at (706) 322-1990.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered wrongful death in Georgia?

In Georgia, a wrongful death occurs when an individual’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act causes a fatality—such as a motor vehicle collision or medical error. This legal concept permits surviving family members to pursue compensation as long as the death was preventable and attributable to another’s failure to exercise due care.

Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Georgia?

Georgia law designates specific individuals to file a wrongful death claim: initially the surviving spouse, followed by children, or parents if no spouse or children exist. In their absence, the estate’s representative may proceed. This structure ensures those most affected have the opportunity to seek redress and hold responsible parties accountable for their actions.

How much can I recover in a wrongful death case?

Compensation in a wrongful death case varies widely, potentially ranging from thousands to millions, depending on factors like lost wages, medical expenses, and the decedent’s contributions to your life. Courts assess both economic and non-economic damages, tailoring awards to the unique circumstances of each case to provide appropriate restitution for your loss.

How long does a wrongful death case take?

The duration of a wrongful death case can span months to several years, depending on numerous factors. Straightforward claims may resolve swiftly through settlement, while contested cases requiring litigation extend the timeline. Our firm diligently manages the process to achieve the most favorable resolution while respecting your need for closure and justice.

Do I need a Dunwoody wrongful death lawyer?

While not legally required, hiring a wrongful death lawyer in Dunwoody, GA, offers substantial advantages in pursuing your claim. A law firm’s local knowledge and extensive experience ensure precise handling of legal intricacies specific to this area. They will provide skilled counsel and representation, maximizing your potential recovery and providing you with the peace of mind you need.