$4,950,000 Settlement – Wrongful Death
Shiver Hamilton Campbell confidentially settled a wrongful death case in South Georgia for just under $5 million. A Florida businessman was driving in Georgia in his personal vehicle when he crossed the centerline and struck our client’s vehicle head-on. The crash resulted in the tragic death of a man returning home from work at a factory. He left behind a wife and three young sons.
Wrongful Death Car Accident Case Process
In this case, the crash victim’s family obtained legal representation in South Georgia and sought to settle the case with the man who had been at fault in the crash. The lawyer retained by the family was unable to negotiate an acceptable settlement with the other driver’s insurance company, and wisely recognized that the scope of the case demanded the involvement of a larger firm with the resources and experience to confront the large insurance company. The South Georgia lawyer brought Shiver Hamilton Campbell in the case, and within 30 days, the case was settled for $4.95 million.
Despite the quick resolution, Shiver Hamilton Campbell performed significant investigative work in the case. The at-fault driver in the accident carried $100,000 of liability coverage on his personal vehicle, but the company he worked for had $5 million worth of liability coverage. Our firm knew that if it could demonstrate that the driver was on a work-related trip, the larger amount of insurance would apply. The insurance company’s defense team argued that the businessman had not been working at the time of the accident. Shiver Hamilton Campbell was able to conclusively demonstrate that driver’s activities were within the course and scope of his work responsibilities when the wreck occurred.
The company recognized that they would be found responsible for the driver’s negligence and liable for the larger settlement. They also knew that Shiver Hamilton Campbell is one of the most experienced and successful firms that handles wrongful death cases in Georgia. Had the case gone to trial, it might have yielded a much larger judgment, but the pre-trial settlement was absolutely the right thing to do for the family of the man who had lost his life.
How Are Wrongful Deaths Investigated?
Wrongful death cases are complex. In the eyes of the law, wrongful death means that the death resulted from another’s negligent or intentional act. The preponderance of evidence is the standard used in civil cases to assess culpability. It basically means having better and more convincing evidence than the other side. The plaintiff in a wrongful death lawsuit must show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant was culpable, or legally responsible, for the death.
Damage assessments are also complicated and can vary widely from case to case, sometimes even when circumstances are similar. That is why it is so important to have a strong legal advocate like Shiver Hamilton Campbell, with significant experience and resources, to get the largest settlements possible.
Compensation in a wrongful death case includes both monetary and non-monetary damages. Monetary damages include lost income over the lifetime of the decedent and costs related to the death, such as funeral expenses and medical bills. Intangible things like the pain and suffering felt by the decedent between the accident and his death, as well as by family members, are non-monetary damages. This includes basically the full value of the life that was lost and all the things that make life valuable.
Shiver Hamilton Campbell has some of the highest settlements and verdicts for wrongful death cases in the State of Georgia. The skilled attorneys of Shiver Hamilton Campbell strive to put grieving families on an equal footing with insurance companies or corporate defendants. Insurance companies representing firms that have had serious workplace accidents or deaths have an adversarial relationship to victim’s families. They immediately and aggressively begin gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and seek to build a defense to protect themselves from liability. Shiver Hamilton Campbell recognizes that families of people who have died in accidents need a strong advocate through the legal process to protect their rights at precisely the time they are most incapacitated by grief.
Contact an Atlanta Wrongful Death Lawyer
Shiver Hamilton Campbell brings compassion and zeal to every case. They dedicate whatever resources are necessary to make sure clients are treated fairly and receive justice. They do not take quick settlements that leave families unable to recover from the financial and emotional loss of a loved one’s wrongful death. They know more is at stake than just a legal judgment and that clients often need counsel across a range of problems and issues that transcend the particulars of their case. They value the people they represent as deserving of justice and respect.
The lawyers of Shiver Hamilton Campbell also prepare all their cases to go to trial, alerting insurance companies and corporate defendants that they will not settle for anything less than full justice for their clients. Preparing the case for trial is the only way to consistently achieve the best outcomes for clients. Opposing counsel must know that Shiver Hamilton Campbell’s clients are represented by skilled and experienced trial lawyers with all the necessary legal resources to win jury verdicts.
