Although money can never fully compensate for a lost loved one, it is the only means available under the law to try and bring a sense of justice, closure, and peace. Wrongful death claims in Georgia aim to compensate for the “full value of a deceased individual’s life,” under the state’s wrongful death statute. In a nutshell, this means that all wrongful death claims have the decedent’s point of view in mind.
Georgia measures the decedent’s full life value in terms of both tangibles and intangibles. The tangible portion of the deceased individual’s full life value is the economic value of the deceased individual’s life. Tangibles refer to the value of a decedent’s anticipated future earnings. In addition, tangibles encompass the monetary value that is associated with cooking, taking care of chores around the house, and caring for loved ones—all of which the decedent could have done, had he or she not passed away in the accident.
The intangible component of a deceased individual’s full life value encompasses the enjoyable parts of life that cannot be touched, including playing sports, participating in volunteer activities, achieving various life goals, having children, obtaining a degree and graduating from school, and spending time with friends and family members.
If you have lost a loved one in an accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, the experienced team of Gwinnett County wrongful death attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you recover monetary compensation for the full value of your loved one’s life, as contemplated by the state’s wrongful death statute. If the at-fault person’s insurance company refuses to offer you fair compensation, we can file a wrongful death lawsuit in the Georgia court system.
