Workplace accidents take the lives of thousands of Americans every year. Often, these accidents result in wrongful death lawsuits being filed.
When people get up in the morning and head off to work, they expect they will be home for supper later. In this case, the man who went to work at a sand plant construction site would never come home again. He was killed in a workplace accident.
The man was standing on a cement wall when it suddenly gave way and trapped him underneath it. He died due to compression injuries to his head and chest. Three other workers were also hurt in this accident.
Sudden deaths like this leave the family affected in deep shock and grief. They have to somehow come to grips with not only the loss of their family member, but also the loss of the income that person contributed to the home. Without that funding, the family would be financially strapped and likely unable to pay their bills.
One way of recovering compensation for a wrongful death is to file a wrongful death lawsuit with the assistance of an Atlanta personal injury lawyer. Since wrongful death lawsuits are civil suits, they are tried in a different court than criminal cases. In this case, the investigation will need to determine why the cement wall collapsed. Was it defective? Made with poor materials? Did the people who erected the wall know the cement was flawed in some way and would not hold up later? Was it mixed improperly and missing critical ingredients?
In terms of investigations, it would take some time for all the facts to be gathered and assessed. This is one of the jobs that an Atlanta personal injury lawyer does; sifts through the details of the accident to determine what happened. If there is negligence involved, this will form the foundation of a wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation for the family.
There are a number of things involved in a settlement or award for a wrongful death: The way the deceased handled their finances while living, their income had they lived, medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering prior to death and the pain and suffering of the family.
There are other factors involved, but they tend to vary from state to state. If you have a wrongful death case, it is best to discuss the details with an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer and find out what rules are applicable in Georgia wrongful death cases and what other factors may be considered in that state.
Robert Webb is an Atlanta personal injury lawyer with Webb & D’Orazio, a law firm specializing in Atlanta personal injury, malpractice, criminal defense, and business law. Learn more at Webbdorazio.com.
