Augusta, GA
Augusta Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
A fatal crash on the Bobby Jones Expressway or Gordon Highway raises catastrophic damages and, in DUI cases, punitive exposure as well.
Local specifics
Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury in Augusta
Suit is filed in the State Court of Richmond County, and Masters-week crashes routinely raise out-of-state driver and non-resident service issues. Georgia wrongful death law measures the full value of the life of the deceased, separate from the estate's claim, and O.C.G.A. 51-4-2 controls who may bring it. Life-care planners and economists are required, and punitive damages are available for DUI or reckless conduct.
Washington Road, Gordon Highway and the I-520 Bobby Jones Expressway carry mixed commuter, military and commercial traffic. Crash volume spikes sharply during Masters week when out-of-state drivers flood unfamiliar roads.
How we build the case
Georgia wrongful death law is unusual: the claim measures the full value of the life of the deceased from the perspective of the person who died, separate from the estate's claim for medical bills, funeral costs and pain before death. Catastrophic injury cases require life-care planning and economic modeling to capture decades of future cost. These are the cases insurers fight hardest and the ones most often decided by trial readiness.
Case facts that matter here
- Courthouse
- State Court of Richmond County, 735 James Brown Blvd, Augusta
- County
- Richmond
- Deadline
- Two years from the date of the crash for personal injury and wrongful death claims (O.C.G.A. 9-3-33). Property damage claims get four years. Claims against a city, county, or the state carry ante litem notice deadlines as short as six months.
- Fault rule
- Modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar (O.C.G.A. 51-12-33). You can recover as long as you are less than 50% at fault, but your award is reduced by your share of the blame.
- Min. coverage
- $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident bodily injury and $25,000 property damage. Georgia does not require uninsured motorist coverage, but insurers must offer it in writing.
What we prove
- Two separate claims: full value of the life, and the estate claim
- Statutory order of who may bring the claim under O.C.G.A. 51-4-2
- Life-care planners and economists are required, not optional
- Punitive damages available for DUI and reckless conduct
Your likely attorney
AJ McDonald
Trial Attorney
Attorney AJ McDonald is originally from Lawrenceville, GA. He attended Appalachian State for one year on a football scholarship, then transferred and played football at the University of Georgia from 2011 to 2014, graduating with a degree in sports management. AJ was a prosecutor in Fulton County from 2019 to 2020 and later opened his own criminal defense firm before joining My Crash Attorneys. He is a seasoned trial attorney defending clients' rights to the compensation they deserve. AJ has two nephews and joyfully welcomed his son in July 2023.
Full bio ↗Injuries
What were you diagnosed with?
- Burn InjuriesThermal and chemical burns from post-collision fire, fuel ignition or airbag deployment. Burn cases carry scarring and disfigurement damages that are separate from medical cost and often exceed it.
- Spinal Cord InjurySpinal cord damage causing partial or complete loss of function below the level of injury. These are lifetime-cost cases requiring a life-care plan covering attendant care, home modification, equipment replacement cycles and lost earning capacity.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)A TBI does not require losing consciousness and frequently does not show on a standard CT scan. Mild TBI is the most under-documented and most aggressively disputed injury in Georgia crash litigation, because the symptoms are invisible and the insurer will attribute them to stress or pre-existing conditions.
Case results
What we've recovered
$1.8M
Recovery
Justice for a family in a wrongful death case.
$1.2M
Verdict
Catastrophic injury, trial-tested victory.
$2.5M
Settlement
Trucking crash victim against a corporate defense team.
$475K
Settlement
Pedestrian struck at a crosswalk.
No Fee Unless We Win
Augusta wrongful death & catastrophic injury? Start with a free review.
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FAQ
Questions from people in your position
Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury in nearby cities
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- Savannah wrongful death & catastrophic injuryChatham County
- Sandy Springs wrongful death & catastrophic injuryFulton County
- South Fulton wrongful death & catastrophic injuryFulton County
- Roswell wrongful death & catastrophic injuryFulton County
- Johns Creek wrongful death & catastrophic injuryFulton County
Georgia law that applies
- Damages You Can Recover in GeorgiaMedical costs, lost income, future care, pain and suffering, and in some cases punitive damages.
- Dealing With Insurance AdjustersYou are not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.
- Georgia Comparative NegligenceRecover only if you are less than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your share.
- Georgia Insurance Minimums & UM Coverage25,000 per person minimum, which is why uninsured motorist coverage often decides recovery.
- Georgia Statute of LimitationsYou generally have two years from the date of the crash to file suit in Georgia.
- How Fault Is Actually ProvenPhysical evidence and data beat conflicting driver statements every time.