What Are the Leading Causes of Wrongful Death?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44 in the United States. Two of the leading causes of unintentional injury leading to death, according to the agency’s data, include:

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Georgia?

Georgia law does not allow just anyone to file a wrongful death action. The right to take action is limited to particular individuals, including:

What Compensation Can Be Recovered Through a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Surviving family members could be eligible to seek compensation from the at-fault party for:

How Are Proceeds Distributed in a Wrongful Death Case?

In Georgia, the proceeds from a wrongful death lawsuit will be distributed to the surviving family members according to the state’s laws on inheritance and distribution. That means the proceeds are distributed to the surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased person in that order. If the deceased person did not have a spouse, children, or parents, the proceeds would go to the estate and be distributed according to the will or the state’s laws of intestate succession.

What Is the Difference Between a Wrongful Death Action and a Survival Action?

Wrongful death and survival actions can be brought if someone is killed in an accident or due to an intentional act, but they are separate legal claims that serve different purposes. The surviving family members could bring a wrongful death action if their loved one was killed due to another person or party’s negligent or intentional conduct. Wrongful death actions are designed to compensate surviving family members for the losses they suffer due to the person’s death, like the loss of income an