Undefeated Texas Wrongful Death Lawyers
Securing the Future for Our Clients & Their Families
A wrongful death is one of the most distressing events an individual can experience in their lifetime. Losing a loved one because of the careless actions of another is devastating and traumatic. In the aftermath of the unspeakable, it’s confusing to know where to turn for help, especially with your emotional and financial well-being on the line.
Though no amount of money will ever make up for what happened, you have the right to seek compensation for your loss and to hold the responsible parties accountable for what they’ve done.
You also have the right to the top-rated wrongful death lawyers in Texas, a team of undefeated, award-winning legal professionals with the skills, resources, and experience necessary to secure your family’s future and to make sure those who harmed you are not only brought to justice, but never hurt anyone ever again.
Contact Zehl & Associates today at (888) 603-3636 to schedule a free consultation with one of our undefeated Texas wrongful death lawyers. We’re ready to get you the compensation you deserve.
Table of Contents
- The Largest Wins in Texas History — Billions Recovered
- What Is a Wrongful Death?
- Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Texas?
- Filing a Survival Action or Bystander Claim
- What Damages May I Recover?
- Hiring an Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Largest Wins in Texas History — Billions Recovered
Our Clients Never Have to Worry About Providing for Their Families Again
At Zehl & Associates, our undefeated legal team has won Billions for families whose loved ones were tragically killed in oilfield, plant and refinery explosions, truck accidents, and the most catastrophic workplace accidents in Texas history.
We have consistently recovered the largest verdicts and settlements in Texas for wrongful death victims. And we’ll fight just as hard for you:
- We treat our clients like family and help cover bills and reasonable living expenses while your case is pending, so you can focus on what matters most.
- We are here for you every step of the way, 24/7, to give you the information you need to make the best decision for your family, to protect your rights and safeguard your family during the legal process, and to take the case to trial if necessary.
- We never stop fighting for our clients to receive the FULL compensation they deserve.
- We don’t just win for our clients and their families – we set records.
But don’t just take our word it. Hear what our clients have to say about working with us.
What Is a Wrongful Death?
Under Texas law, a wrongful death is any death caused by the negligence, recklessness, carelessness, or misconduct of another person or company.
Some of the common causes of wrongful death include:
- Truck or 18-wheeler accident
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident
- Bus accident
- Drunk driver accident
- Work accident
- Offshore accident
- Oilfield accident
- Plant or refinery explosion
Over the past five years alone, our team has repeatedly won hundreds of record-setting victories in each of these practice areas, including the #1 Largest Accident Settlement in Texas — $23.5 million won on behalf of our client whose wife was tragically killed in a head-on collision with a commercial truck.
After a tragic accident, a monetary recovery may be the last thing on your mind. But a wrongful death lawsuit is the only way that you, as a surviving family member, may hold the negligent parties fully responsible and make sure your family has the financial resources to carry-on in your loved one’s absence.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Texas?
According to Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the following parties can file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a loved one killed in an accident.
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
These are the only family members permitted to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of a deceased family member in Texas.
If you don’t file a wrongful death lawsuit within three months, the claim may also be filed by your loved one’s estate, through its Executor or Administrator.
If you don’t have an estate created, which is required to pursue and recover survival or “pre-death” damages, our team of probate lawyers will create the estate and, if you agree, seek to have you appointed as the Administrator.
Filing a Survival Action or Bystander Claim
Our attorneys can also help you determine if you or your family have a survival action and/or bystander claims, which are two more options that may be available for your family to recover compensation in addition to a wrongful death lawsuit.
Survival Claims
A survival claim is intended to recover damages for the pain and suffering your loved one endured in the minutes, hours, or days leading up to their death. Unlike the damages in a wrongful death case, the damages recovered through a survival claim belong exclusively to the your loved one’s estate and are divided up among living family members.
A survival claim must be filed by an estate’s legal representative and must establish that:
- Your loved one had a cause of action for personal injury.
- Your loved one would have been able to bring a personal injury lawsuit had they survived.
- The responsible party’s negligent actions caused the victim’s injury.
Rest assured, when there is evidence that your loved suffered and experienced pain before they passed away, our lawyers will always file a wrongful death AND a survival claim.
Bystander Claims
A bystander claim may be pursued if a surviving family member not only witnessed the fatal injuries or death of their loved one, but was caused emotional or mental damages as a result of witnessing it. However, bystander claims can be very complex and only an experienced wrongful death attorney will be able to determine if you have a strong case.
Contact Our Undefeated Wrongful Death Lawyers for a Free Consultation at 1-888-603-3636
What Damages May I Recover?
Surviving family members may recover damages for the emotional suffering and financial losses incurred as a result of their loved one’s death.
Damages commonly recovered in a Texas wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Pain and mental anguish experienced by the surviving family members.
- Lost companionship, which compensate family members for the loss of the relationship they enjoyed with their loved one.
- Physical or emotional pain sustained by your loved one following the accident and prior to their death.
- Medical costs and bills including hospital stays or any medical treatment your loved one received due to their fatal injuries.
- Funeral and burial expenses, which in the U.S. today average well above $10,000.
- Lost income and earning capacity including a loved one’s past and future wages.
- Lost household services or any other way your loved one brought value and assistance to the family.
- Lost inheritance that survivors may have benefited from in the future if their loved one had not been killed.
- Lost benefits and Social Security that your loved one was eligible for.
A survival claim may also recover damages that your loved one may have been awarded if they had survived and filed a personal injury lawsuit, such as medical expenses, past and future wages, and pain and suffering.
Additionally, our team has a track record of recovering punitive damages, which are only awarded in cases involving “grossly” negligent conduct. Many law firms have never and will never recover punitive damages, but our attorneys know exactly how to prove a responsible party acted recklessly — securing the full compensation you deserve.
Hiring an Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney
Wrongful death lawsuits are among the most complex cases under Texas law and require specialized expertise — you don’t want to hire just any law firm to secure your future. You need a firm that focuses exclusively on injury and wrongful death law in Texas. In fact, the law firm you choose can very well mean the difference between a multi-million dollar settlement or substantially less.
Proving negligence is the foundation of building a strong wrongful death case. And at Zehl & Associates, we possess a unique depth of knowledge about what evidence is needed, how to get that evidence, and, ultimately, how to make sure that you recover the maximum compensation possible for your loved one’s tragic loss.
When we’re hired, we immediately get to work assembling a team of experts to gather evidence, reconstruct the event, and demonstrate how the responsible party caused the tragedy.
Our track record and reputation speak volumes:
- We hold the negligent and reckless parties fully accountable — we have a 100% success rate
- We provide our clients and their families with the financial resources to care for and provide for themselves for the rest of their lives
- We prevent the dangerous conduct from occurring again in the future
- We not only win — we set records.
Undefeated Texas Wrongful Death Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult
Having won Billions for accident and wrongful death victims in Texas and across the United States, our Texas Wrongful Death Lawyers have the resources and experience to recover the maximum compensation possible for our clients and their families.
If your loved one tragically lost their life due to another’s careless, reckless actions, call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here to submit a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.
We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and ensure you have the information you need to make the best decision for yourself and your family.
The consultation is free, and you’ll owe absolutely nothing unless we win your case.
Nuestro equipo es bilingüe. Obtén más información sobre nuestros abogados imbatibles en casos de muerte injusta.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Texas, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years. This means that you have two years after the date of your loved one’s passing (not the date when they sustained their injury) to file your wrongful death lawsuit. However, if you are contemplating a lawsuit, you should not wait to consult with an experienced wrongful death attorney. If you wait, evidence critical to proving your claims could be lost or destroyed long before the statute of limitations expires.
The statute of limitations for filing survival claims in Texas is also two years. However, the clock starts ticking on the day your loved one was injured or the date their injury was discovered, not the day they died. Again, if you are considering bringing a survival claim, consult an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
Texas allows for the recovery of exemplary damages (aka punitive damages) in both wrongful death lawsuits and survival claims when death results from misconduct or gross negligence. Exemplary damages are intended to punish the defendant for their wrongful conduct and deter others from engaging in similar acts in the future.
Only immediate family – spouse, children, or parents – can file a wrongful death lawsuit in Texas. All other family members, including siblings, divorced spouses, and grandchildren, are barred from taking action in court.
A survival claim, on the other hand, must be filed by the executor, administrator, or legal representative of the estate. If a will exists, the person named as executor or administrator must file the claim, whether they’re the decedent’s spouse, a member of the extended family, or even a close friend. The decedent’s living heir can file a survival claim when there is no will. In the absence of both a will and living heir, a member of the extended family or a representative appointed by the court is permitted to file a survival claim.
The value of a wrongful death claim 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
- Whether the insurance company can prove that your loved one shared any fault
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 win every available dollar. Just call our law firm to learn more about your case value today.
Providing an exact timeframe for the resolution of your Texas wrongful death claim is impossible without knowing specifics. Many factors can extend the settlement process including how complex the case is and how many parties are involved. That said, some cases may take months to resolve and others may require years.
Compensation recovered in a Texas wrongful death lawsuit is divided among the plaintiffs, either at the direction of the judge or jury when a case has gone to trial or following negotiations among the plaintiffs when a case settles out of court.
Texas does not allow the proceeds of a wrongful death lawsuit to be passed on to minors. A trust will have to be established to manage any funds awarded to young children until they reach maturity.
When you choose Zehl & Associates, you’re choosing a law firm that understands firsthand what a challenging time you’re going through and exactly how we can help — by holding the responsible parties accountable and making sure your family never has to worry about your financial future ever again. We truly care.
Our founding partner, Ryan Zehl, lost his father when he was 18 years old. In addition to experiencing the devastating emotional effects that a loss has on a family, he became responsible for fighting the life insurance company, which had wrongfully denied his mother’s claim for death benefits, negotiating the outstanding medical bills with the hospital, and providing for his mother and younger brother in his father’s absence.
He also saw, firsthand, the lengths which the companies and individuals his family depended on the most would go to save money and take advantage of those who didn’t have the ability or resources to stick up for themselves.
After defeating the life insurance company and obtaining the death benefits for his mother, Ryan finished college, graduated from the top of his law school class, and devoted his career and law firm to helping others recover what had been wrongfully taken from them.