Dealing with the aftermath of a loved one’s death can feel incredibly complicated and difficult to manage.

Do you have the right to file a wrongful death claim? What happens when you file a wrongful death lawsuit?

For many families, simply figuring out whether they have the right to file a wrongful death claim, and who among the family members may have the right to file a wrongful death claim when a loved one dies, can prove incredibly complicated.

When do you need a wrongful death attorney in Atlanta, Georgia?

Working with a wrongful death attorney in Atlanta can make it easier to learn about your rights after losing a loved one in an accident.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Georgia? Family Relationships

According to Georgia law, the person or people with the closest familial relationship to the deceased will have the right to bring a wrongful death claim after that individual’s death.

Generally, if the deceased was married at the time of death, the deceased’s spouse has the first right to file a wrongful death claim.

If the deceased was not married at the time of death, but had children, the children of the deceased may all have an equal right to file a wrongful death claim.

In the case of a deceased with neither spouse nor children, the deceased’s family may have the right to file a claim.

In some cases, the deceased may not have immediate family members who will have the right to file a claim after their death.

In that case, the deceased’s estate may have the right to file a claim to help recover some of the deceased’s final expenses.

Working with an Atlanta wrongful death lawyer can help you learn more about whether you have the right to file a claim, either as a direct family member of the deceased or as a representative of their estate.

What Happens if More Than One Party Has the Same Right to File a Wrongful Death Claim in Atlanta?

Sometimes, more than one party may have the same right to file a wrongful death claim.

For example, if the deceased was not married at the time of death, but had multiple children, each child would have the same right to file a wrongful death claim and pursue compensation for the deceased’s injuries and losses.

Similarly, if the deceased had neither spouse nor children, and the deceased’s parents are divorced, each parent might have the same right to file a claim.

Georgia law does not govern how families should handle a wrongful death claim when multiple parties have the same right to compensation for the loss of a loved one.

In general, you will need to work together to come up with a fair distribution of funds and decide how you want to handle the claim.

Each family will have the right to file only one claim for the loss of a loved one, even when multiple parties may have the same right to compensation.

Sometimes, one party may have the right to make decisions about the entire lawsuit, even when the rest of the family does not necessarily agree with those decisions.

If you have questions about the management of a wrongful death claim after the loss of a loved one, especially if you find your family members fighting about the distribution of funds, talk to an Atlanta wrongful death lawyer to learn more about your family’s rights and your options.

A wrongful death lawyer can serve as a vital third-party perspective that does not have a personal interest in the proceedings and can, therefore, provide an unbiased look at your options and how to handle your claim effectively.

For those seeking to understand the financial aspects of a wrongful death claim, it’s essential to know how much you can sue for in a wrongful death claim.

This will help you gauge the potential compensation and address the financial impact of your loss.

In tragic cases, such as the child of a former UGA quarterback killed in a Cartersville fire, understanding your legal rights and the process of filing a wrongful death claim can be crucial.

This knowledge can provide some measure of justice and financial relief during such a difficult time.