Georgia Foster Care Wrongful Death Lawyer

Foster Care Wrongful Death Attorney in Georgia

While the child is in the custody of the state, they should be receiving safety and support. Unfortunately, for some children in Georgia, these places can foster neglect, suffering, and even the risk of death. Therefore, a Georgia foster care wrongful death lawyer from Ryan A. Johnson, P.C., can represent individuals who have witnessed the unthinkable: the death of a child due to Georgia’s child welfare system.

If you know about a foster child who passed away under preventable or suspicious circumstances while under the state’s custody, our office urges you to immediately contact us. We have an unwavering commitment to bringing the truth to light, holding parties accountable for their actions, and making sure no other children suffer and die in a flawed and often dangerous system.

As our firm works on a contingency fee basis, you don’t have to pay anything upfront. We only take a portion of your settlement if we win your case for you.

A Look at the Georgia Foster Care System

According to recent data from Georgia Fostering Court Improvement statistics, 16,245 children were in the Georgia foster care system between April 2024 and March 2025. During that time, children were spending roughly 3,996,685 total days in foster care, which is an average of 15,776 days per 10,000 children. When the system is overburdened and goes unchecked, children can be subject to permanently damaging or even fatal conditions.

What Are Georgia Foster Care Wrongful Death Cases?

In the context of foster care, wrongful death is the death of a child that could have been prevented. Wrongful death can occur because of negligence or abuse on behalf of:

• A caseworker
• A foster parent
• A group home staff worker
• A private contractor
• The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS)

At Ryan A. Johnson, P.C., we have often seen cases involving:

• Instances of physical abuse that go unaddressed or unreported
• Medical neglect, like a failure to treat life-threatening conditions
• Dangerous living conditions, including no supervision and easy access to weapons, drugs, or dangerous people
• A lack of supervision that allows for fatal accidents or self-harming behaviors, sometimes with suicidal intentions
• Failure to get a child moved from a placement that is known as dangerous

When wrongful death happens in the foster care system, the grief and trauma caused can be escalated even more by knowing that the death could, and should, have been preventable.

Hire a Foster Care Wrongful Death Lawyer With Proven Experience

Our firm is led by Ryan A. Johnson, who is well known for compassionate and fearless litigation in high-stakes injury and wrongful death cases, including those that involve the Georgia foster care system. Mr. Johnson has secured over $60 million in settlements, verdicts and judgments, and he has been recognized among Super Lawyers® Rising Stars and Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Our firm has both the experience and determination required to take on the foster care system in Georgia.

We treat each case with urgency, confidentiality, and seriousness. Additionally, we only take on a limited number of cases. That way, we can provide you with the attention and effort your case deserves. When you choose to work with us, you can rest easy, knowing that we have the resources and willpower to take on powerful institutions and hold them accountable. We can advocate for you in the following ways:

• Conducting an in-depth investigation into your case
• Collecting key evidence, such as placement history, incident reports, and DFCS records
• Collaborating with key experts to build up the case, such as forensic analysts, medical examiners, and child welfare professionals
• Identifying all parties who could be potentially liable, including individuals, agencies, and child placement entities
• Filing a civil wrongful death claim to seek justice for the child’s surviving family members

As we are very aware of how to work through the state’s complicated foster care wrongful death laws, we are determined not to let bureaucracy cover up the truth of what happened.

Who Can Bring a Foster Care Wrongful Death Claim?

Depending on the circumstances of the wrongful death case, the claim may be brought forward by a variety of individuals, including:

• A legal guardian
• The biological parents of the child (in cases where parental rights were not terminated)
• An estate administrator
• A court-appointed representative
• A next of kin
• A legal advocate, depending on the specific circumstances

Even if you are not the legal guardian of the child, you could launch an investigation or talk to our team to determine an optimal course of action. As these cases can commonly be highly complex, our foster care wrongful death attorney can use his skill and drive to navigate the case with both compassion and discretion.

Recoverable Damages in Georgia Foster Care Wrongful Death Cases

A Georgia foster care wrongful death claim can recover significant compensation for damages on the child’s behalf. A compassionate attorney can determine whether you are entitled to compensation for:

• Any medical bills prior to the child’s death,
• Expenses for a funeral or other celebration of life
• Pain or suffering endured by the child while they were still alive
• Emotional distress for surviving family members

Furthermore, dying at such a young age always results in a significant loss of life and potential. Therefore, our team can fight to make sure that it is recognized by the courts. Not only can we secure financial justice for you in the wake of a tragic death, but we can also hold people, systems, and institutions accountable so that another child does not have to suffer the same fate.

Contact a Georgia Foster Care Wrongful Death Lawyer Today

If you know about a child who has died in the foster care system under suspicious or preventable circumstances, we can hold the right parties accountable to restore a sense of justice. Although no amount of money can ever bring the child back or represent the sheer loss of their potential, legal measures can make sure all the responsible parties are held liable for their actions, thereby protecting future generations of children going through the foster care system.

Contact us today to expose the truth and fight for the children who can no longer speak for themselves.