Many people despair of ever getting justice when they lose a loved one in a tragic situation. After a car crash caused by a drunk driver or a house fire caused by a defective tool, it may seem like those responsible for a family’s tragedy somehow managed to avoid any real consequences for their negligence or criminal behavior.
Although many people do know that wrongful death lawsuits could be an option for grieving families in Georgia, people are very quick to dismiss the idea of taking another person or a business to civil court. They may not see the benefit of pursuing a lawsuit when they already have so much for their family to handle. Why do families choose to go to court to pursue a wrongful death claim against an individual or business?
1. You can recover the value of someone’s full life
The wrongful death statute in Georgia can create financial consequences for those who cause a death. The surviving dependent family members can potentially request the full financial value of the deceased party’s life in their wrongful death lawsuit.
That full value will include the lost wages and job benefits the family member could have provided, as well as their companionship and their unpaid housework. While money is a cold comfort, recovering the full value of someone’s life after their death can help your family close the monetary gaps left behind when they died.
2. A claim can give your family closure
Criminal prosecution isn’t always an option even when it is clear that one person or a business is responsible for someone dying. Even if the prosecutor brings charges, they may not have the evidence necessary to secure a conviction.
The civil courts provide a secondary means of justice for grieving families. It can give those struggling to accept a tragic new reality a sense of closure to have a court declare the other party responsible for their loved one’s death.
Provided that you have some evidence to support your claim that another person or business caused your loved one’s death, the courts m May rule in your favor. The standard of evidence in a civil claim is lower than in a criminal case, so you could win even when a prosecutor didn’t feel like they could bring charges.
Recognizing the emotional and financial value of a wrongful death lawsuit may help your family pursue justice after a tragedy.