The death of a person that is caused by the negligence or wrongful actions of another party is known as a wrongful death. In Georgia, family members of the deceased can file a wrongful death action or lawsuit against the liable party or parties. Finch McCranie, LLP is an Atlanta, Georgia personal injury law firm that has represented clients in wrongful death cases for more than 35 years. We will be happy to speak with you about your loved one's death.

Legal grounds for wrongful death can arise in a variety of circumstances, including the following:

• The owner of a property does not follow safety regulations, and a visitor dies from electric shock.
• A construction worker is killed because of faulty tools or equipment.
• A company does not enforce safety regulations, and a worker is killed on the job.
• A patient is killed after taking a defective antibiotic or over-the-counter pill.
• A patient dies during surgery because the hospital, the doctor, or the nurse was negligent.
• Someone dies because a crime was committed.
• Someone is intentionally murdered.
• A person's reckless behavior results in another's death.
• A pedestrian or passenger dies because a car, tractor, truck, bus, or motorcycle on the road was defective.
• A passenger dies in a car accident because of a negligent driver.
• Passengers on a plane are killed because of pilot error.
• A person acts carelessly or negligently, and someone dies.

The legal principles of "common law" that was given by England to the United States did not allow surviving family members to file a wrongful death claim. The reasoning given for this was that a claim ended upon the death of the victim. Relatives were therefore not allowed to demand damages from any responsible parties.

Over the years, all 50 U.S. states have passed their own wrongful death statutes to eliminate this injustice. Although all the statutes follow some of the same general principles, each state has jurisdiction over its wrongful death cases.

It is never easy to lose someone you love—especially when the reason for the death is an accident caused by someone else's negligence, recklessness, or carelessness and the death did not have to occur at all. Our Atlanta, Georgia wrongful death attorneys know that battling an insurance company and proving the cause of death are not what you want to be doing right now.

It is important that you speak with an experienced Atlanta, Georgia personal injury attorney that can investigate the events surrounding the death for you. Please call Finch McCranie, LLP at —toll-free—(800) 228-9159 or at (404) 658-9070 and ask to speak with one of our Atlanta, Georgia wrongful death lawyers for your free consultation. You can also contact us online.