Did a loved one die because of medical negligence in Peachtree Corners, GA?
At Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers, we are wrongful death medical malpractice lawyers who pursue full recovery for families after a preventable loss.
If a family member in Peachtree Corners died after a preventable medical error, Georgia law may allow your family to bring a wrongful death claim. Our Peachtree Corners, GA wrongful death medical malpractice lawyer can review the final medical records, identify where the care failed, and pursue compensation for the full value of your loved one’s life.
Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers charges families no attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Our attorneys explain each step in plain language. Schedule a free consultation.
Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Lawyer Peachtree Corners, GA
Wrongful death medical malpractice is a claim brought after a patient dies because a health care provider did not meet the accepted standard of care. Georgia measures the family’s recovery by the full value of the life that was lost.
Georgia’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee found that about 85% of pregnancy-related deaths from 2019 to 2021 had at least some chance of being prevented, according to the Department of Public Health’s maternal mortality summary. A death after childbirth, for example, may involve missed warning signs of hemorrhage. Fatal harm also follows delayed diagnoses, surgical and anesthesia errors, medication mistakes, and untreated infections. Our wrongful death medical malpractice attorney in Peachtree Corners, GA can evaluate whether any of these failures caused a patient’s death.
Types of Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle in Peachtree Corners
A preventable death can occur in a hospital, an outpatient clinic, or during a virtual appointment. Our wrongful death medical malpractice lawyers in Peachtree Corners represent families after losses in each of these settings.
- Delayed or missed diagnoses. A heart attack, stroke, or blood clot that goes unrecognized can become fatal within hours. The claim compares the documented symptoms with the tests a reasonable provider would have ordered.
- Surgical errors. An injured organ or blood vessel, or bleeding that is not controlled, can cause death during or after an operation. The operative report and recovery records show when the complication began and how staff responded.
- Anesthesia deaths. Airway problems, dosing errors, and gaps in monitoring during sedation can stop a patient’s breathing. The anesthesia record and the vital signs logged during the procedure show when the patient’s condition changed.
- Fatal medication errors. An overdose, a dangerous drug combination, or a drug given despite a documented allergy can be fatal. The orders and administration records identify who gave the medication and when.
- Untreated infections. An infection that progresses to sepsis can cause organ failure when antibiotics are delayed. These claims examine when signs of infection first appeared in the chart.
- Maternal deaths. Hemorrhage, severe high blood pressure, and other complications can be fatal during or after delivery. We examine whether the delivering providers recognized warning signs and escalated care.
- Hospital negligence. Understaffing, missed communication between caregivers, and poor monitoring can contribute to a patient’s death during an admission. These claims may name the hospital along with individual providers.
- Birth injury. A newborn may die after oxygen deprivation or another injury during labor and delivery. We review the fetal monitoring and delivery records to determine whether earlier action was required.
- Telemedicine malpractice. A provider conducting a virtual visit may not recognize symptoms that call for emergency care. We examine the visit notes and any message history to see what the provider was told.
Why Choose Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers as My Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Peachtree Corners, GA?
Experience Defending and Pursuing Malpractice Claims
Daniel J. Moriarty spent his first six years of practice, beginning in 2012, defending physicians and hospitals. Since 2018, he has represented injured patients and the families of patients who died. That background helps our firm anticipate how defense counsel is likely to explain a patient’s death, and which records are likely to be disputed. His appeals practice has included the Court of Appeals of Georgia as well as the federal Eleventh Circuit. He studied at Notre Dame, where he earned honors, and attended law school in Austin. Wrongful death claims are among the most serious matters our medical malpractice lawyer in Peachtree Corners, GA handles.
Recoveries in High-Stakes Malpractice Cases
Through verdicts and settlements, our firm has obtained over $200 million for the people it represents.
- A $30 million medical malpractice verdict returned by a jury
- $16.8 million in a malpractice lawsuit
- $9 million for a client in a medical negligence matter
- A $5.5 million malpractice resolution
Our wrongful death medical malpractice attorneys in Peachtree Corners accept these cases on contingency.
What Is Important to Understand About a Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Cases
Liability consists of four elements: the provider’s obligation to use reasonable care for the patient, treatment that fell short of the accepted standard, a causal link between that shortfall and the death, and losses to the family and estate. Georgia divides recovery between two claims. Each belongs to different people.
- Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, a surviving spouse, or the children when there is no spouse, may recover the full value of the life of the decedent.
- Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-5, the personal representative may recover funeral, medical, and other necessary expenses. The same statute allows the administrator or executor to bring the wrongful death claim when no one else is entitled to do so.
- The estate may also pursue a separate claim for the patient’s pain and suffering before death.
An anesthesia-related death, for example, can support both the family’s claim and the estate’s claim. Our Peachtree Corners, GA wrongful death medical malpractice lawyer can gather the records needed to prove each category of loss.
What Should You Bring to Your Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Consultation?
Families often have only a few documents after a loss, and that’s enough to start. A certified death certificate is one of the first records we can help you obtain.
- Hospital discharge or transfer paperwork from the final admission
- Any autopsy report, if one was performed
- Medical bills and funeral invoices
- Names of the doctors, nurses, and hospitals that treated your loved one in the final weeks
During a consultation, our Peachtree Corners wrongful death medical malpractice attorney can review the sequence of care and explain which family members may hold each claim.
What Are Important Aspects of a Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Case?
The central question in these cases is whether the death resulted from the underlying illness or from an error in treating it. Our wrongful death medical malpractice lawyers in Peachtree Corners address that question with the medical records and testimony from physicians in the relevant field.
- Cause of death must be established. The records often show whether a death followed a delayed diagnosis, a surgical complication, or a medication problem.
- Infections deserve close review. CDC sepsis data shows that about 1 in 3 people who die in a hospital had sepsis during that hospitalization. That doesn’t mean each of those deaths was preventable. Delayed treatment, however, can support a claim.
- Transfusion and medication deaths leave a paper trail. Blood bank logs and dosing records can show where a fatal transfusion error began.
- Provider history can matter. The Georgia Composite Medical Board’s license verification tool shows a physician’s credentials and any disciplinary actions. A disciplinary record does not prove negligence in a specific case.
- Maternal deaths are reviewed separately. Georgia’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee reviews pregnancy-associated deaths confidentially. Its reviews do not decide legal claims.
What Is The Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Case Timeline?
Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-71, Georgia generally requires these lawsuits to be filed no more than two years after the date of death. The same statute sets a five-year outer limit that runs from the negligent act. Cases usually begin with record collection and review by physicians in the specialty involved. After filing, each side exchanges documents and questions the providers under oath. Negotiation or mediation resolves many of these cases. Some go to a jury. Cases involving several defendants or a disputed cause of death often take longer.
Reach Out to Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
Contact us to arrange a free consultation with our Peachtree Corners wrongful death medical malpractice lawyer. Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers offers free consultations to families in Peachtree Corners and throughout Gwinnett County, and the firm doesn’t collect a fee unless the claim succeeds. We can review the records you have, explain who may bring each claim, and describe the next steps at a pace that suits your family.