![\"Punitive](\"https:\/\/www.finchmccranie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Punitive-Damages-1.jpg\")
This is Part I of a discussion concerning what damages are available in Georgia wrongful death cases.\u00a0 Part II will be published next week.<\/p>\nThis is Part I of a discussion concerning what damages are available in Georgia wrongful death cases.\u00a0 Part II will be published next week.<\/p>\n
Wrongful death claims in Georgia are typically divided into two separate claims: (1) the wrongful death\u00a0per se<\/em>\u00a0as measured by the \u201cfull value of the life of the decedent\u201d without deducting for any of the necessary or personal expenses of the decedent had he or she lived; and (2) the estate claims, or the claims that would have accrued to the decedent had they lived and include medical expenses incurred prior to death, funeral and burial expenses, conscious pain and suffering prior to death, and punitive damages.<\/p>\n The \u201cfull value of the life of the decedent\u201d is measured from the decedent\u2019s perspective.\u00a0 This is different from many other states which focus on the impact the decedent\u2019s death has on the surviving family members\/party plaintiffs. The \u201cfull value of the life\u201d concept has two distinct components, one is economic and the other is non-economic. The economic component consists of the \u201citems having a proven monetary value, such as lost potential lifetime earnings, income, or services, reduced to present cash value.\u201d The non-economic portion comprises those \u201cintangible items whose value cannot be precisely quantified, such as a parent’s \u201csociety, advice, example and counsel . . . .\u201d Consol. Freightways Corp. of Delaware v. Futrell<\/u>, 201 Ga. App. 233, 233 (1991).<\/p>\n