Did you lose a loved one in a preventable accident in DeKalb County, GA?

At Andrew R. Lynch, P.C., we are trusted wrongful death lawyers serving families across DeKalb County and the surrounding area.

If a family member died in a DeKalb County crash or another preventable incident, we are here to help you. We know that the aftermath of the loss of a loved one is a difficult time, and a legal claim is not the first thing on your mind. Our attorneys help you request the police report and medical examiner’s findings, and decline recorded statements to insurers. Georgia gives the right to file to specific relatives in a set order, so that question comes first.

Our office sits in Decatur, the county seat, a short drive from the DeKalb County Courthouse and the medical examiner’s office, and our founder has handled fatal-injury claims for 16 years. A DeKalb County, GA wrongful death attorney at Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. offers your family a free consultation.

Wrongful Death Attorney DeKalb County, GA

A wrongful death attorney represents the family of someone killed through another party’s negligence or intentional misconduct. That work covers two claims: the family’s claim for the value of the life lost and the estate’s claim for medical and funeral expenses. We take over the investigation, insurer negotiations, and litigation so that relatives are not managing those tasks in the months after a funeral.

Drivers killed 40 pedestrians in DeKalb County in 2024, the highest number among metro Atlanta’s five core counties, according to regional safety data presented to the Atlanta Regional Commission. Pedestrian deaths in the county had reached a ten-year high the year before.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Handle in DeKalb County

Every wrongful death claim begins with a question of responsibility, and the answer frequently involves more than one party. Our work as a DeKalb County wrongful death lawyer covers fatal incidents on the road, on private property, and inside facilities entrusted with someone’s care.

Car accidents. Red-light collisions, wrong-way crashes, and high-speed wrecks on I-285 and I-20 are frequent sources of these claims. We preserve vehicle data and scene evidence early and identify every policy that applies.
Truck accidents. A tractor-trailer crash often involves a carrier, a broker, and a maintenance vendor in addition to the driver. Each of them may bear part of the responsibility for a death.
Motorcycle accidents. Drivers turning left across a rider’s path cause many fatal motorcycle collisions. Insurers sometimes blame the rider by default, so independent reconstruction matters.
Drunk driving accidents. Impaired-driving cases carry a criminal investigation alongside the civil claim, and the two can produce shared evidence. We follow the toxicology results and the criminal file as they develop, since responsibility sometimes extends beyond the person behind the wheel.
Bicycle accidents. Cyclists and pedestrians struck on multi-lane roads rarely survive high-speed impacts. These claims often depend on traffic signal timing, lighting, and video from nearby businesses.
Shooting victims. When someone is killed at a convenience store, hotel, or parking deck with a history of violence, the property owner’s security decisions come under scrutiny. We pursue the owner and its insurers, separate from any criminal case against the shooter.
Apartment shootings. Broken gates, burned-out lights, and ignored tenant complaints can all bear on a landlord’s responsibility for a resident’s death. We review incident logs, prior police calls, and security contracts to show what management knew and when.
Nursing home cases. Untreated infections, bedsores, falls, and medication errors can be fatal for elderly residents. Staffing records and care plans often show whether the facility met its obligations.

Why Choose Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. as My Wrongful Death Lawyer in DeKalb County, GA?

A Practice Shaped by a Family’s Own Loss

In 1996, the teenage sister of Andrew R. Lynch was killed in a car wreck caused by a drunk driver. That loss gave him a firsthand understanding of what a family faces after a preventable death, and it shaped his commitment to helping people whose lives were upended by someone else’s actions. Today he focuses on motor vehicle and tractor-trailer wrecks, DUI crashes, premises liability, crime victim compensation, and wrongful death, and The National Trial Lawyers has consistently named him to its Top 100 list in Georgia since 2013.

Rooted in DeKalb’s Legal Community

Our founder is a member of the Decatur-DeKalb Bar Association and the Decatur Rotary Club, and he is a former president of the DeKalb Bar’s Young Lawyers Division. He has also received the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards from Super Lawyers. Wrongful death claims draw on the same courtroom habits we rely on as a personal injury lawyer in DeKalb County, GA. Our record includes millions of dollars recovered for injured people and families, with DeKalb County outcomes such as these:

$10,146,515 in DeKalb State Court for a client whose traumatic brain injury was caused by a DUI driver
$660,000 settlement after a shooting at a DeKalb gas station
$300,000 in a negligent nursing care and transportation case

Understanding Wrongful Death Cases in DeKalb County

What Is the Wrongful Death Case Timeline?

Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, Georgia generally requires a wrongful death lawsuit to be filed within two years of the date of death; certain circumstances can pause that deadline, but families should never assume one applies.

Opening the estate. If no executor exists, a relative petitions the DeKalb County Probate Court to serve as administrator so the estate’s claim can move forward.
Investigation. We request the medical examiner’s report, crash reconstruction, video footage, 911 recordings, and witness statements.
Valuation. Economic analysis and family testimony establish the value of the life lost, while the estate documents medical and funeral costs.
Demand or lawsuit. We send a formal demand to the liable parties’ insurers and file suit in the State or Superior Court of DeKalb County if no fair offer follows.
Discovery, mediation, and trial. Depositions, reports from economists and reconstruction specialists, and mediation often take one to two years before a case reaches a jury.

What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Case?

Two claims usually arise from one death, and different people hold them. The surviving spouse has the first right to bring the claim for the value of the life, followed by the children, then the parents. The estate’s representative pursues medical bills, funeral costs, and any conscious suffering before death. Settling those roles early prevents delays.

The criminal case, if there is one, runs on its own track. Prosecutors seek punishment, while the family seeks compensation under a lower burden of proof, because the legal standards for murder and wrongful death serve different purposes. A conviction is not required for a civil recovery.

Responsibility may also reach parties families don’t expect. Adults who allow underage drinking before a fatal crash can face social host liability claims, and property owners can answer for security failures. In premises cases, shooting case evidence such as prior incident reports and camera coverage must be gathered before it disappears.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Cases

Liability turns on the same negligence questions as any injury claim, and Georgia reduces a recovery by the decedent’s share of fault and bars it entirely at 50 percent or more.

Full value of the life. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, the family may recover the full value of the decedent’s life, measured from the decedent’s own perspective. That value includes lost earnings and benefits as well as the intangible worth of living, such as time with children and the years the person would have enjoyed.
No deduction for personal expenses. Georgia does not subtract what the decedent would have spent on personal needs when calculating that value.
Estate expenses. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-5, the estate’s representative may recover funeral, medical, and other necessary expenses resulting from the injury and death.

What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Consultation?

The documents below help us identify the right plaintiff and the right defendants at the first meeting.

A certified death certificate, available through Georgia’s vital records office
The accident or incident report and the investigating agency’s case number
Hospital, ambulance, and autopsy records the family already has
A will, letters of administration, or other estate documents
Pay records, tax returns, and benefit statements for the person who died
Insurance letters, emails, and any settlement offers
Photos, messages, or posts that show the person’s daily routines and relationships, which help illustrate the value of the life

At that meeting, we will explain who holds each claim and give you a straightforward assessment of whether the evidence supports a case against the parties involved.

Reach Out to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

Some evidence in fatal cases, such as surveillance footage and vehicle data, is routinely recorded over, so early preservation helps. Contact us when your family is ready, and we will set a time to review the claims available and the steps that come next. Consultations are free, calls are answered at any hour, and a DeKalb County wrongful death attorney from our firm will guide the conversation. Our team is ready to take your message and discuss your case further.

DeKalb County Wrongful Death Attorney