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Midland Wrongful Death Lawyer

Midland Wrongful Death Lawyer

Was your loved one tragically killed in a fatal accident in Midland or Odessa, TX? If someone else was responsible, Zehl & Associates will hold the wrongdoers fully accountable and recover the maximum compensation possible, so that you have the financial resources to provide for yourself and your family in your loved one’s absence.

Over the years, our nationally recognized wrongful death lawyers have recovered billions of dollars on behalf of injured clients and grieving families. We’ve also secured the largest accident recoveries in the history. When we get involved, the company on the other side knows they need to take the case seriously and be prepared to face us in trial, where our lawyers remain undefeated.

If your family is ready to get justice after the loss of a loved one, contact our law offices in Midland, Texas, today for a free consultation. We’ll sit down and discuss the circumstances of your loved one’s death, explain your rights and options, and make sure you have the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

You can call us at (432) 220-0000.

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Why Trust Zehl & Associates To Handle My Wrongful Death Claim in Midland?

Why Trust Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers To Handle My Wrongful Death Claim in Midland?

Wrongful death cases are complicated for many different reasons. Victims don’t always have the chance to tell their side of the story. Dollar values are often higher because the surviving family has lost so much. The at-fault party might even try to blame the victim.

Hiring an experienced Midland personal injury lawyer can be critical to recovering fair compensation. At Zehl & Associates, we’ve handled hundreds of wrongful death cases for families across Texas and consistently recovered the largest verdicts and settlements in history. =

Our record-setting, undefeated attorneys understand how large companies operate, and we won’t hesitate to take them to trial if they refuse to accept responsibility and fully compensate our clients for their emotional and financial losses.

We have a proven track record of successfully winning record-setting recoveries for our clients. In, fact, there are few, if any, personal injury law firms in the area that have recovered the billions in compensation that we’ve won for our clients.

Hire us, and you’ll have a lawyer to:

  • Explain your rights, options, and what to expect during the legal process
  • Investigate and locate evidence to prove who was responsible and how the accident could and should have been prevented
  • Identify all at-fault parties and sources of insurance
  • Bring in experts, like accident reconstructionists, engineers, safety consultants, and pain and grief doctors who can testify about how the accident happened and the emotional impact that it has had on the surviving family members
  • Secure important evidence that, without a lawyer, would get destroyed or lost by the other side’s legal team
  • Demand that the insurer pay a specific sum of money (the demand) with a specified period of time or face us in trial, where our lawyers remain undefeated.

Contact our Undefeated Midland personal injury attorneys for your free consultation at 432-220-0000.

Our Midland personal injury attorneys near you are here to help you get your life back on track. Give us a call today!

How Common Are Fatal Accidents in Texas?

According to data published by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), 2,354 fatal motor vehicle accidents were reported across the state of Texas in 2022. Overall, 22 people were killed in fatal car crashes in Midland alone that year.

Those crashes included:

  • 487 crashes involving large semi trucks
  • 575 fatal motorcycle accidents
  • 18 fatal crashes involving buses, including one fatal school bus wreck

In 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that another 533 people lost their lives in fatal work accidents in Texas. And, since 2020, 24 people have died due to dog bites in the state.

What Is Wrongful Death in Texas?

In the State of Texas, a wrongful death is any death caused by another party’s careless, reckless or wrongful act.

When a victim suffers injuries due to someone else’s reckless or negligent conduct, they can pursue compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. When the victim dies before they’re able to sue for damages, the victim’s family can take over and file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Wrongful death cases are civil matters. They’re handled in civil court, where the remedy is financial compensation. Wrongful death claims are completely separate from any criminal charges the state of Texas may file. In criminal court, the goal is to punish the defendant for illegal acts through fines or incarceration, whereas in civil courts, the goal is to compensate the family for their loss and, in some cases, punish the defendant with punitive damages.

It’s always possible that a defendant could face civil and criminal charges for the same actions. Importantly, you can still win your civil wrongful death claim even if the at-fault party is acquitted in criminal court. 

Am I Entitled To File an Action for Wrongful Death in Texas?

Under Texas wrongful death laws, only certain surviving family members can file a lawsuit for damages.

They include:

  • A surviving spouse
  • Children
  • Parents 

If none of these survivors exist, the personal representative or estate executor can take legal action. These parties can also begin the legal process if the spouse, children, or parents have not taken action within three months of losing their loved one.

What Is My Midland Wrongful Death Case Worth?

The value of a wrongful death claim in Midland depends on many factors, including:

  • Your loved one’s age and life expectancy prior to death
  • Your loved one’s lost future earnings, based on work history, education, and earnings prior to death
  • How your loved one supported the family, considering household duties and childcare
  • The expenses your family has incurred due to the loss, including medical bills, funeral expenses and other out-of-pocket expenses
  • The age and identities of any surviving dependent spouse or children
  • The circumstances of the victim’s death and whether they survived for any period of time before their death
  • The type and amount of insurance coverage available to cover the reckless conduct that lead to the death

The loss of a loved one is difficult enough. Often, recovering full compensation is the only way to get a sense of justice. You can count on Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers to work tirelessly to hold the wrongdoers fully accountable and recover the maximum compensation possible for you and your family.

Call our law firm to learn more about your rights and options.

What Types of Damages Are Available if My Wrongful Death Claim Succeeds?

Examples of the types of compensation you may be entitled to receive include:

  • Medical expenses incurred prior to the deceased party’s death
  • Funeral expenses and burial costs
  • Loss of your loved one’s future financial support
  • Loss of the reasonable value of household services provided by the decedent
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish and trauma
  • Loss of your loved one’s companionship and support, as well as loss of consortium
  • Loss of parental guidance and instruction

In some cases, punitive damages may be available as punishment for egregious and reckless conduct that resulted in the death.

Can I Recover Damages if My Loved One Is Blamed for Causing Their Own Death in Texas?

Insurance companies are known for blaming victims for their own injuries. That’s especially true when the victim can’t defend themselves. If you don’t fight back, your compensation will be substantially reduced or you won’t recover anything at all.

Texas follows modified comparative negligence rules. Once a victim’s share of blame reaches 51%, they lose their right to compensation. However, as long as your loved one was less than 51% responsible for causing the accident, Texas law allows you to recover your proportionate share of the jury’s verdict.

For example, if you recover $20 million at trial and the jury found that decedent was 30% at fault for causing the accident, you would recover $14 million, which is a 30% reduction from the original $20 million verdict.

It’s especially important to have an experienced wrongful death lawyer in cases where the decedent is alleged to be at fault. Having successfully represented over 1,000 wrongful death victims across Midland, Odessa, and West Texas, we understand how to defeat baseless claims of fault so that our clients recover the full verdict awarded by the jury without any reduction for comparative fault.

What Causes Most Deadly Accidents in Midland, Texas?

Any type of serious accident can result in the sudden death of a loved one.

At Zehl & Associates, we have experience handling just about every type of wrongful death claim that could arise, including those involving:

Our wrongful death lawyers in Midland are well-prepared to investigate the cause of your loved one’s accident and death. Give us a call today to schedule your free case review to get started.

How Do I Prove Liability After Losing a Loved One in a Fatal Accident? 

While wrongful death cases can be based on negligent or intentional acts, most involve negligence. Negligence means that someone failed to exercise reasonable caution, and your loved one was killed because of it.

There are four elements to a successful negligence claim:

  • The defendant owed your loved one a legal duty of care
  • They breached that duty through some act or omission
  • The breach of duty directly caused your loved one’s death
  • Your family suffered damages

Often, surviving family members aren’t present to witness their loved one’s accident. You might not know exactly what happened. That’s one way our Midland wrongful death attorneys can help.

We’ll conduct our own investigation and gather the evidence, including:

  • Police reports
  • Medical records
  • Video surveillance footage
  • Statements from witnesses
  • Photos of the accident scene
  • Detailed information about conditions at the accident scene
  • Testimony from expert witnesses
  • Evidence about your family’s financial losses

The types of evidence that can be used to prove your case will vary depending on the circumstances of your loved one’s death. 

How Long Do I Have To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit After a Fatal Accident in Texas?

Under Texas law, the statute of limitations in wrongful death cases is two years. You have two years from the date your loved one died to sue for damages. If you wait any longer, you lose your right to seek compensation entirely.

There are exceptions to the statute of limitations for some cases, so contact us as soon as you can to determine the correct deadline for your specific circumstances.

Contact our Undefeated Midland Wrongful Death Lawyers for a Free Consultation at 432-220-0000

If you lost a family member due to someone else’s carelessness or wrongdoing, you deserve justice. Our team at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is here to help you hold the responsible parties accountable. 

With Billions Won and the Largest Wrongful Death recoveries in Texas, we have the skills, resources, and experience to take on the largest companies in the world and not only win for you, but set records.

Call 432-220-0000 or use the chat or web form to submit your request for a confidential case review. All consults are free, and you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.

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