When a family member dies due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful act in Decatur County, Georgia law allows certain surviving family members to file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for the full value of the life lost, including both economic damages like lost income and non-economic damages like loss of companionship and care.
Losing a loved one suddenly changes everything. The grief feels unbearable, yet bills continue arriving and questions pile up about what happened and who should be held responsible. Georgia’s wrongful death statute exists specifically to provide families with a legal path forward when someone’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional harm causes a preventable death. This legal process recognizes that your family has suffered both an immeasurable personal loss and real financial harm that deserves compensation.
Life Justice Law Group serves families throughout Decatur County who need experienced legal representation after losing a loved one to wrongful death. Our attorneys understand both the legal complexities of these cases and the emotional weight families carry during this difficult time. We offer free consultations and handle wrongful death cases on a contingency basis, which means your family pays no attorney fees unless we win your case. Call (480) 378-8088 or complete our online form to speak with a Decatur County wrongful death lawyer today.
What Constitutes Wrongful Death in Decatur County
Wrongful death occurs when a person dies due to the negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct of another individual or entity. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-1, Georgia law defines wrongful death as death caused by a wrongful act, neglect, or default that would have entitled the deceased person to bring a personal injury claim had they survived. This legal framework means that nearly any situation giving rise to a personal injury claim can become a wrongful death case if the victim dies from their injuries.
The distinction between wrongful death and other types of death matters significantly in legal terms. A wrongful death claim requires proof that someone’s actions directly caused the death and that these actions violated a duty of care owed to the deceased. Natural deaths from illness, pre-existing conditions, or unavoidable accidents typically do not qualify as wrongful death unless negligent medical care or dangerous conditions contributed to the fatal outcome.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death Claims in Decatur County
Wrongful death claims arise from numerous situations where negligence, recklessness, or intentional harm leads to fatal consequences. Understanding the most frequent causes helps families recognize when they may have grounds for legal action.
- Motor vehicle accidents – Car crashes, truck collisions, and motorcycle accidents caused by distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, or traffic violations represent one of the leading causes of wrongful death in Georgia. Commercial truck accidents often involve complex federal regulations under FMCSA guidelines that experienced attorneys must understand to establish liability.
- Medical malpractice – Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, medication mistakes, birth injuries, and anesthesia errors can all lead to preventable deaths when healthcare providers breach the accepted standard of care. Georgia requires expert testimony to establish what a reasonably competent medical professional would have done differently.
- Workplace accidents – Construction site incidents, industrial equipment malfunctions, falls from height, and exposure to hazardous substances kill workers when employers fail to maintain safe working conditions or provide proper training and safety equipment. These cases may involve both workers’ compensation death benefits and third-party wrongful death claims.
- Premises liability incidents – Property owners who fail to maintain safe conditions can be held liable when dangerous conditions like inadequate security, slip and fall hazards, swimming pool accidents, or structural failures cause fatal injuries. Georgia law requires property owners to exercise ordinary care to keep their premises safe for lawful visitors.
- Product liability cases – Defective products including vehicles with design flaws, dangerous medications, faulty machinery, or consumer products lacking adequate warnings can cause death when manufacturers prioritize profit over safety. These claims may proceed under theories of strict liability, negligence, or breach of warranty.
- Nursing home abuse and neglect – Understaffing, inadequate supervision, medication errors, and failure to provide necessary medical care in long-term care facilities can result in preventable deaths of vulnerable elderly residents. Georgia’s nursing home regulations establish minimum standards of care that facilities must meet.
- Criminal acts – Assault, homicide, armed robbery, and other violent crimes can give rise to wrongful death claims against the perpetrator and potentially against third parties who failed to provide adequate security or created dangerous conditions that enabled the crime.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Georgia
Georgia law establishes a strict hierarchy determining who has the legal right to file a wrongful death claim. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, this priority system ensures the claim remains with those who suffered the most direct loss from the death.
The surviving spouse holds the first and primary right to file a wrongful death claim in Decatur County. If the deceased person was married at the time of death, the spouse becomes the legal representative of the estate for purposes of the wrongful death action and must file the claim on behalf of the surviving family members. When minor children exist, the surviving spouse files on behalf of both themselves and all children, with any recovery divided equally among the spouse and children.
If no surviving spouse exists, the deceased person’s children hold the right to file the wrongful death claim. All children share equal rights, and any recovery gets divided equally among them. One child typically serves as the representative to file the lawsuit on behalf of all siblings. Adopted children have the same rights as biological children under Georgia law.
When neither a spouse nor children survive the deceased, the parents of the deceased person may file the wrongful death claim. If both parents are living, they share equal rights to the recovery. If only one parent survives, that parent receives the full recovery.
If none of these family members exist, the administrator or executor of the deceased person’s estate may file the wrongful death claim. In this situation, any recovery becomes part of the estate and passes according to Georgia’s intestacy laws or the terms of the deceased person’s will. This represents the only scenario where creditors can reach wrongful death proceeds.
The Wrongful Death Claims Process in Decatur County
Understanding the legal process helps families know what to expect and how to protect their rights at each stage of pursuing justice.
Consult with a Wrongful Death Attorney
Schedule a free consultation with an experienced wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible after your loved one’s death. During this meeting, the attorney will evaluate your case, explain your legal options, and discuss the potential value of your claim based on the specific circumstances of the death.
Bringing relevant documents to this consultation helps the attorney assess your case more thoroughly. Medical records, death certificates, police reports, insurance policies, and any correspondence from potentially liable parties provide valuable information. However, do not delay consultation if you do not yet have these documents, as the attorney can help obtain them.
Investigation and Evidence Collection
Your attorney will conduct a comprehensive investigation to establish liability and damages. This investigation includes gathering police reports, medical records, autopsy reports, witness statements, employment records, financial documents, photographs, and any other evidence demonstrating how the death occurred and the full impact on surviving family members.
Expert witnesses often play a crucial role in wrongful death cases. Your attorney may retain accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, economic analysts, and other professionals who can provide testimony about causation, the standard of care, or the financial value of the life lost. This evidence-gathering phase typically takes several months depending on case complexity.
Filing the Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Once sufficient evidence exists to support the claim, your attorney files a complaint in the appropriate Georgia court. Most wrongful death cases in Decatur County are filed in the Superior Court of Decatur County. The complaint identifies the defendants, describes how their actions caused the death, and specifies the damages sought.
Georgia’s statute of limitations under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 generally provides two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically means losing the right to pursue compensation forever, with very limited exceptions. Acting promptly protects your family’s legal rights.
Discovery and Case Development
After the lawsuit is filed, both sides exchange information through a process called discovery. This includes written questions called interrogatories, requests for documents, and depositions where witnesses answer questions under oath. Discovery allows both sides to understand the evidence and evaluate the strength of the case.
During this phase, your attorney continues building the case by deposing witnesses, consulting with experts, and developing legal theories. The defense will also investigate the claim and may raise various defenses. This phase can last six months to over a year depending on case complexity and court scheduling.
Settlement Negotiations
Most wrongful death cases settle before trial. Your attorney will engage in negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company and legal team, using the evidence gathered to demonstrate liability and the full value of your claim. These negotiations can occur through informal discussions, formal mediation sessions, or settlement conferences facilitated by a judge.
Your attorney’s knowledge of similar case values, understanding of Georgia wrongful death law, and negotiation skills directly impact the settlement outcome. Never accept a settlement offer without first consulting an experienced wrongful death attorney, as insurance companies often make lowball initial offers hoping families will accept less than their claims are truly worth.
Trial if Necessary
If settlement negotiations fail to produce a fair offer, your attorney will take the case to trial. At trial, both sides present evidence, examine witnesses, and make legal arguments to a jury. The jury determines whether the defendant’s actions caused the death and, if so, calculates the appropriate compensation based on the evidence of damages.
Trials typically last several days to several weeks depending on complexity. While trials involve more time and preparation than settlements, they sometimes represent the only path to fair compensation when defendants refuse to make reasonable settlement offers.
Types of Damages Available in Georgia Wrongful Death Cases
Georgia wrongful death law allows recovery of both economic and non-economic damages representing the full value of the life lost. Understanding what compensation may be available helps families evaluate settlement offers and understand what they are fighting for.
The full value of the life of the deceased encompasses all damages the deceased would have earned and enjoyed had they lived. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-1, this includes the present value of all future earnings the deceased would have earned throughout their expected working life, accounting for promotions, raises, and career advancement. Economic experts often calculate this amount using the deceased’s age, education, work history, earning capacity, and life expectancy tables.
The non-economic value of life represents compensation for the intangible losses including the deceased person’s companionship, care, advice, guidance, protection, and society. This component has no mathematical formula but recognizes the immeasurable value of a human life beyond mere earning capacity. Juries consider the relationship between the deceased and survivors, the deceased person’s character and contributions to the family, and the profound impact of the loss.
Medical and funeral expenses incurred due to the fatal injury can be recovered as part of the wrongful death claim. This includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, surgery, ambulance transportation, and all reasonable funeral and burial costs. These expenses represent actual financial losses the family has already paid or owes.
In cases involving egregious conduct, Georgia law allows punitive damages designed to punish the defendant and deter similar future conduct. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1, punitive damages require proof that the defendant’s actions showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or conscious indifference to consequences. These damages get awarded in addition to compensatory damages but are subject to statutory caps in most cases.
The Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death Claims
Time limits strictly govern when wrongful death lawsuits can be filed in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, families generally have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This deadline applies regardless of when the family discovered who was at fault or when they decided to pursue legal action.
The date of death triggers the statute of limitations, not the date of the injury or accident that caused the death. If someone suffers injuries in an accident but dies days, weeks, or months later, the two-year period begins running on the date of death. This distinction matters because families sometimes wait to pursue legal action while grieving or dealing with immediate practical concerns.
Limited exceptions can extend or toll the statute of limitations in specific circumstances. If the potential defendant fraudulently concealed information that prevented the family from discovering the wrongful death claim, the statute of limitations may be tolled until the family discovers or reasonably should have discovered the claim. If the deceased person had already filed a personal injury lawsuit before dying, the wrongful death claim can proceed as a substitution in that existing case without regard to when death occurred.
Missing the statute of limitations deadline typically results in permanent loss of the right to pursue compensation. Georgia courts generally lack authority to extend expired deadlines except in the rare situations where statutory exceptions apply. This harsh consequence means families must act relatively quickly despite their grief, making early consultation with an attorney essential.
Wrongful Death vs. Survival Actions in Georgia
Georgia law recognizes two distinct types of claims that can arise from a fatal injury. Understanding the difference helps families pursue all available compensation.
A wrongful death claim belongs to the surviving family members and compensates them for their losses including lost financial support, lost companionship, and the full value of the deceased’s life. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, this claim compensates the family for what they lost when their loved one died. The recovery goes to the surviving spouse and children, or to other family members according to the priority hierarchy, and generally cannot be reached by the deceased person’s creditors.
A survival action under O.C.G.A. § 9-2-41 represents the continuation of the personal injury claim the deceased person would have brought had they survived. This claim compensates the estate for the deceased person’s medical expenses, lost wages between injury and death, pain and suffering experienced before death, and any property damage. The recovery becomes part of the deceased person’s estate and gets distributed according to the will or intestacy laws, meaning creditors can reach these funds.
Both claims can be pursued simultaneously in Decatur County wrongful death cases. The personal representative of the estate typically files both the wrongful death claim on behalf of surviving family members and the survival action on behalf of the estate. These claims often get consolidated into a single lawsuit to avoid duplicative litigation and ensure efficient resolution.
The practical difference affects who receives compensation and what damages can be recovered. Families benefit most from the wrongful death claim, which provides compensation directly to them without passing through the estate. The survival action primarily benefits the estate and indirectly benefits beneficiaries and creditors rather than compensating family members for their personal losses.
Proving Liability in a Wrongful Death Case
Successful wrongful death claims require proof that the defendant’s conduct caused the death and violated a legal duty. The plaintiff must establish four essential elements by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely true than not true.
Duty of care forms the foundation of negligence claims. The plaintiff must show the defendant owed a legal duty to the deceased to act with reasonable care under the circumstances. Drivers owe other road users a duty to operate vehicles safely, property owners owe lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises, doctors owe patients a duty to provide care meeting accepted medical standards, and manufacturers owe consumers a duty to make reasonably safe products.
Breach of duty requires proof that the defendant failed to meet the applicable standard of care. This might involve showing a driver was speeding or texting, a property owner knew about a dangerous condition but failed to repair it, a doctor made treatment decisions no competent physician would make, or a manufacturer sold a product with known defects. The specific conduct constituting a breach depends on the nature of the case and applicable legal standards.
Causation links the defendant’s breach to the death. The plaintiff must prove both cause-in-fact, meaning the death would not have occurred but for the defendant’s conduct, and proximate cause, meaning the death was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions. Medical testimony often proves causation by explaining how the defendant’s conduct directly led to the fatal outcome.
Damages complete the wrongful death claim by proving the family suffered compensable losses. Evidence of damages includes testimony about the deceased’s earnings and career prospects, the relationship between the deceased and survivors, the deceased’s contributions to the family, and the emotional impact of the loss on surviving family members.
Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Wrongful Death
Insurance companies play a central role in most wrongful death cases since they typically provide the funds to pay settlements and judgments. Understanding how insurers operate helps families protect their interests during negotiations.
Insurance adjusters work for the insurance company, not for your family. Their job involves minimizing the amount the company pays on claims, which creates an inherent conflict with your family’s interest in maximum compensation. Adjusters may seem sympathetic and helpful while gathering information they later use to devalue or deny your claim.
Early settlement offers often come before the family understands the full value of the claim. Insurers know grieving families face immediate financial pressure and may accept inadequate settlements out of necessity or a desire to move forward. These initial offers frequently represent a fraction of the true claim value and should not be accepted without attorney review.
Recorded statements can damage your claim. Insurance adjusters often request recorded statements from family members soon after the death, claiming this will expedite the claims process. However, these statements can be taken out of context, used to create inconsistencies, or manipulated to suggest the death resulted from pre-existing conditions or other factors rather than the defendant’s negligence.
Your own statements on social media can be used against your claim. Insurance companies routinely monitor social media accounts of wrongful death claimants looking for posts or photos suggesting the family is not as devastated as claimed or evidence contradicting the stated damages. Families should avoid posting about the death, the case, or their daily activities until the case resolves.
Wrongful Death Claims Involving Government Entities
When a government employee or agency causes a wrongful death, special rules apply that differ significantly from claims against private parties. Georgia’s sovereign immunity generally protects government entities from lawsuits, but the Georgia Tort Claims Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-21-20 creates limited exceptions allowing claims under specific circumstances.
Government entities can be sued for deaths caused by the negligent operation of motor vehicles by government employees acting within the scope of employment. If a city employee driving a government vehicle causes a fatal accident, the city may be liable. The same applies to county and state government vehicles including school buses, maintenance trucks, and law enforcement vehicles.
Dangerous conditions on government property can create liability when the government knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to correct it or warn about it. Poorly maintained roads, defective traffic signals, inadequate lighting, or dangerous conditions in government buildings can lead to wrongful death claims if the government had notice of the problem.
Strict procedural requirements govern claims against government entities. Georgia law requires filing an ante litem notice with the government entity within six months of the death for city and county claims, or within twelve months for state government claims. This notice must describe the nature of the claim, the injuries sustained, and the amount of compensation sought. Missing these notice deadlines typically bars the claim completely.
Damage caps limit recovery against government entities. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-21-29, wrongful death claims against state government are capped at $1 million per person. Cities and counties face the same cap per occurrence regardless of how many people were killed. These caps do not apply to claims against private parties or individuals, only to the government entity itself.
Choosing the Right Wrongful Death Attorney in Decatur County
The attorney you choose to handle your wrongful death claim significantly impacts the outcome of your case. Several key factors distinguish effective wrongful death lawyers from general practitioners.
Wrongful death experience matters because these cases involve complex legal issues, substantial damages, and defendants with aggressive legal teams. An attorney who regularly handles wrongful death claims understands Georgia’s specific wrongful death statutes, knows how to value these claims properly, and has experience negotiating with insurance companies and trying cases before juries when necessary.
Trial experience separates lawyers who can actually take cases to court from those who merely hope for settlements. Insurance companies investigate attorneys’ trial records when evaluating cases, and they make better settlement offers when they know the attorney has successfully tried similar cases before juries. An attorney who has never taken a wrongful death case to trial lacks the credibility needed to maximize settlement value.
Resources to fully investigate and develop complex cases include relationships with expert witnesses, access to accident reconstruction specialists, connections with medical experts, and the financial ability to advance case costs through litigation. Smaller firms without adequate resources may be forced to settle cases prematurely rather than investing in the investigation and expert testimony needed to prove full value.
Communication and personal attention ensure you understand the legal process, know the status of your case, and feel supported during a difficult time. Large firms may assign your case to inexperienced associates, while some attorneys handle so many cases they cannot provide individual attention. Choose a lawyer who will personally handle your case and remain accessible when you have questions or concerns.
Contingency fee arrangements allow families to afford excellent legal representation without upfront costs. Most wrongful death attorneys work on contingency, meaning they receive a percentage of the recovery only if they win the case. This arrangement aligns the attorney’s interests with yours and allows families to pursue justice regardless of their financial situation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrongful Death Claims
How long do I have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia law provides two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, regardless of when you discovered who was at fault or decided to pursue legal action. This deadline is strictly enforced with very limited exceptions, and missing it typically results in permanent loss of your right to compensation. If a government entity may be liable, you must file an ante litem notice within six months for city or county claims or twelve months for state claims, which is much shorter than the two-year lawsuit filing deadline. Because investigating these cases and preparing claims takes time, consulting an attorney within weeks of the death rather than waiting months protects your family’s rights and allows proper case development before critical deadlines pass.
Can I file a wrongful death claim if my loved one was partially at fault for the accident?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, which means you can still recover damages if your loved one was less than 50 percent at fault for the accident that caused their death. If your loved one’s fault is determined to be 49 percent or less, your recovery will be reduced by their percentage of fault, so if the total damages are $1 million and your loved one was 30 percent at fault, the recovery would be reduced to $700,000. However, if your loved one is found to be 50 percent or more at fault, Georgia law bars any recovery. Insurance companies often argue the deceased was partially at fault to reduce their payout, making it essential to have an experienced attorney who can counter these arguments with evidence showing the defendant bore primary responsibility for the death.
How much is a wrongful death case worth in Georgia?
The value of a wrongful death case depends on numerous factors including the deceased person’s age, earning capacity, life expectancy, relationship with surviving family members, and the circumstances of the death. Georgia law allows recovery for the full value of the life lost, which includes all future earnings the deceased would have made throughout their expected working life plus the intangible value of their companionship, care, guidance, and presence in the family’s life. Young professionals with high earning potential and decades of expected work life may have claims worth several million dollars, while elderly individuals with shorter life expectancy and limited income may have more modest economic damages but still substantial non-economic value. Medical and funeral expenses can be recovered separately, and cases involving particularly egregious conduct may warrant punitive damages that exceed compensatory damages, though most wrongful death cases settle before reaching a jury verdict.
What if the person responsible for the death has no insurance or assets?
When the at-fault party lacks insurance or sufficient assets to pay a judgment, recovery becomes more challenging but not necessarily impossible. Your attorney will investigate all potential sources of compensation including whether any other parties share liability for the death, whether the at-fault party has umbrella insurance policies beyond standard coverage, whether your own insurance policies include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that applies to wrongful death claims, and whether the death occurred in circumstances where a premises owner, employer, or product manufacturer might also be liable. Some businesses carry larger insurance policies than individuals, and finding additional responsible parties can mean the difference between no recovery and substantial compensation. In cases where truly no recovery source exists, pursuing a judgment may still be worthwhile if the defendant later acquires assets, inherits money, or earns higher income, as wrongful death judgments in Georgia remain collectible for many years after entry.
Do wrongful death settlements get taxed?
Under federal tax law, wrongful death settlements and judgments are generally not taxable income for the recipients because they compensate for personal physical injuries or death rather than representing income or profit. The full value of life damages recovered by surviving family members, medical and funeral expenses, and survival action damages for the deceased’s pain and suffering are typically received tax-free. However, any portion of the settlement representing pre-death lost wages in a survival action may be taxable, as these damages replace income the deceased would have paid taxes on if they had lived and earned it. Punitive damages are almost always taxable as the IRS considers them penalties rather than compensation for injury, and interest that accumulates on a judgment or settlement from the date of judgment to the date of payment is taxable income. The tax treatment of wrongful death recoveries is complex, and families should consult with both their attorney and a tax professional to understand the specific tax implications of their settlement or judgment.
Can I reopen a wrongful death case if I already settled?
Once you sign a settlement agreement and release in a wrongful death case, you generally cannot reopen the case or seek additional compensation even if you later discover the injuries were worse than initially believed or the settlement was inadequate. Settlement agreements include release language stating you give up all claims related to the death in exchange for the settlement payment, and Georgia courts enforce these agreements as binding contracts. Very limited exceptions exist, such as when the defendant fraudulently concealed information that would have affected the settlement value or when the release was signed under duress or undue influence, but these exceptions are difficult to prove and rarely succeed. This is why settling too quickly before fully understanding the value of your claim is so dangerous, and why having an experienced wrongful death attorney evaluate any settlement offer before you accept it is essential to protecting your family’s interests and ensuring you receive fair compensation that accounts for all economic and non-economic losses.
What happens if multiple family members disagree about whether to settle?
When multiple family members have rights to the wrongful death recovery and disagree about settlement, Georgia law requires the person with the primary right to file the lawsuit to make the final decision about settlement on behalf of all beneficiaries. The surviving spouse has priority and can settle the case on behalf of themselves and the children, or if no spouse exists, the children collectively must agree, with one serving as representative. If family members disagree, the court can appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of minor children or may require court approval of any settlement to protect the rights of all beneficiaries. Serious disputes may require separate representation for different family members, though this is relatively rare because settlement proceeds get divided according to the statutory formula regardless of who agreed to settle. Your attorney can help mediate family disagreements and ensure all beneficiaries understand the reasons for accepting or rejecting settlement offers, but ultimately the legal representative with priority under Georgia law has authority to make binding settlement decisions.
How does workers’ compensation affect a wrongful death claim?
When someone dies from a work-related accident in Georgia, the family may be entitled to both workers’ compensation death benefits and a wrongful death claim, but these remedies serve different purposes and have different requirements. Workers’ compensation provides death benefits to surviving spouses and dependent children regardless of fault, paying a portion of the deceased worker’s average weekly wages and covering funeral expenses up to statutory limits without requiring proof that the employer was negligent. A wrongful death lawsuit, in contrast, requires proof of negligence or wrongful conduct and can only be brought against parties other than the employer in most cases, such as equipment manufacturers, subcontractors, property owners, or other third parties whose negligence contributed to the death. If a third-party wrongful death claim succeeds, the workers’ compensation insurer has a lien on the recovery to be reimbursed for benefits paid, but the family still typically recovers more than they would from workers’ compensation alone because wrongful death damages include full economic and non-economic losses rather than the limited benefits workers’ compensation provides.
Contact a Decatur County Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
Losing a family member to wrongful death creates overwhelming challenges that no one should face alone. The legal system provides a path to justice and financial recovery, but pursuing these claims requires experience with Georgia’s complex wrongful death laws and the ability to stand up to insurance companies and corporate defendants who will fight to minimize what they pay your family.
Life Justice Law Group represents families throughout Decatur County in wrongful death cases arising from car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace incidents, premises liability, and all other causes of preventable death. Our attorneys handle these sensitive cases with the combination of legal skill and personal compassion families deserve during their most difficult time. We offer free consultations to evaluate your case and explain your options with no obligation, and we handle all wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis, which means your family pays no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Call (480) 378-8088 or complete our online contact form to speak with a Decatur County wrongful death lawyer today about protecting your family’s rights and pursuing the justice your loved one deserves.