A wrongful death in Georgia is generally considered to have occurred when a fatality is caused by the negligent or intentional conduct of another. While it is typically applied in car crashes, the cause of action is not limited to them. The family of someone killed in a motorcycle accident, for instance, will likely gain by consulting an Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer. Indeed, the surviving family of anyone killed by another under any circumstances would do well to consult an Atlanta wrongful death lawyer.

While each case is different, the attorney can help gather important documentation and evidence in order to decide what parties are culpable for the death. When the fatality occurred from a motor vehicle accident in which alcohol or drugs were involved, it is often important to investigate where and under what circumstances the drunk driver consumed the drugs or alcohol that contributed to the fateful collision. And once that determination has been made, the Atlanta wrongful death lawyer can offer important advice on the appropriate steps necessary for the family to enforce its claim against all responsible parties. Such a claim may even include allegations against a bar, restaurant or others who knowingly served the perpetrator alcohol when they knew or should have known the individual would be driving.

A cyclist stands scant chance in a collision with a car, truck or other vehicle. Many times, the result is a life cut senselessly short. The surviving family will demand answers, answers to which they are entitled. And where the evidence points to the negligent or intentional conduct of others, the family will also demand accountability, accountability to which they are entitled.

Reckless actions are a form of negligence so pernicious that the law considers them to be intentional acts. For instance, getting drunk and then causing a fatal motor vehicle accident could well be deemed reckless. In circumstances where an Atlanta wrongful death lawyer is able to prove reckless or intentional conduct, the law provides for punitive damages. These damages are awarded in addition to what are called compensatory damages, which provide compensation related to the death and related pain and suffering.

Each fatal accident is different, with its own set of facts and circumstances. But each deserves a full investigation to provide important answers and, where appropriate, to serve as the foundation for a successful claim to hold all negligent parties fully responsible for their wrongdoing that resulted in the tragic death of their loved one.

Once a preliminary determination has been made involving a fatal bike collision, the Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer can prepare and file a formal complaint seeking financial recovery against all those responsible. He or she can assist in communicating and negotiating with any insurance companies involved while also pushing the litigation forward to press for a final determination. While no amount of money can recover the life that was so senselessly lost, it can provide some small sense of justice as the family seeks the assistance of the law in holding that such egregious conduct will not go unpunished.