DALLAS WRONGFUL DEATH ATTORNEYS
A wrongful death lawsuit provides a legal avenue for families to seek financial compensation from those responsible for their loved one’s untimely death. While no amount of money can replace a lost family member, it serves as a tangible acknowledgment of your loss and the profound impact it has on your life. This compensation addresses the immediate and long-term financial challenges that often accompany such a tragedy. For example, if a breadwinner dies unexpectedly at work, the settlement should cover the income their family would have received had they lived a full life. Moreover, it recognizes the emotional toll – the pain, suffering, and life-altering consequences experienced by the surviving family members. By holding wrongdoers accountable, these lawsuits not only provide crucial financial support but also serve as a form of justice, affirming the value of the life lost and the validity of the family’s ongoing struggle.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, having a skilled wrongful death attorney on your side is crucial. Big corporations and insurance companies often try to discredit your suffering by shifting blame. That’s why choosing an experienced law firm like The Pipkin Law Firm is so important. For over two decades, we’ve helped families hold wrongdoers accountable for their negligence, earning a reputation as a go-to firm for wrongful death cases. Our work not only helps innocent families receive the financial support they need to cope with unexpected loss but also serves a broader purpose. By holding wrongdoers responsible, you can prevent similar negligent behavior in the future, potentially sparing other families from facing the same challenges.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to potentially negligent actions by an individual, company, government agency, or product manufacturer, consulting our wrongful death attorneys is crucial to understanding and protecting your legal rights.
Our firm has handled numerous wrongful death cases, many of which have involved defendants not immediately apparent as potential parties to the accident. These cases show our ability to identify all possible avenues for compensation, ensuring that our clients receive the most comprehensive legal representation possible.
By thoroughly investigating each case, we often uncover additional liable parties, potentially increasing the available compensation for the bereaved family. This approach can make a significant difference in the outcome of a wrongful death claim. Below are a few examples of complicated cases involving hidden defendants.
Negligently Road Construction: Our wrongful death lawyers obtained a multi million dollar settlements for families whom have lost their loved ones in a head-on collision. The client was traveling on a recently constructed roadway when she drove through the double yellow and crashed into oncoming motorists. Our investigation found that the road construction company failed to remove the old lines, causing confusion and, ultimately, a fatal crash.
Negligent Auto Repair Accident: Our wrongful death attorneys helped the surviving family of a police officer obtain a settlement of over $5 million. The police officer was working on the side of the highway when another motorist hydroplaned and ran him over. We found that the tire on the car had not been installed properly, which caused the vehicle to hydroplane. While the at-fault motorist had limited insurance, we successfully held the tire repair shop responsible and significantly increased the total compensation recovered by the surviving family.
Commercial Vehicle Accident: Our wrongful death attorneys helped the family of a man who was killed in a commercial vehicle accident recover $11 million. The man was survived by a wife and four children. He was the primary breadwinner. While on his way to work, a man in a commercial vehicle negligently crossed the center line and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. This caused a tire to dislodge during the crash and collided with our client’s vehicle.
While past cases are no guarantee of future cases, it is important to recognize that some lawyers provide you with a better chance of holding all wrongdoers responsible and obtaining maximum compensation.
What Is Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
In Texas, a wrongful death lawsuit is a civil case, which means it’s about getting money, not punishing someone. It’s different from criminal cases, which are handled by the state and can lead to jail time or other punishments. Sometimes, there might be both a civil lawsuit and a criminal case happening at the same time. For example, if a drunk driver killed your loved one, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit to get money for your loss and suffering. At the same time, the state might charge the driver with a crime. It’s important to know that you can file a wrongful death lawsuit even if the person who caused the death didn’t break any laws. The main goal of a wrongful death lawsuit is to help your family deal with the financial and emotional impact of losing someone.
Types of Wrongful Death Claims
A wrongful death lawsuit can be filed against anyone who caused someone’s death through careless or illegal actions. The way the death happened is important because it affects what kind of lawsuit you file and what proof you need. For example, if a faulty car killed your loved one, you might need to file a product liability claim. If they died on someone else’s property, you might need to file a premises liability claim. These different types of claims require different kinds of evidence to win your case. That’s why it’s helpful to work with experienced wrongful death lawyers. They can figure out who’s responsible for the death and what type of lawsuit you should file to get justice for your loved one.
In Texas, wrongful deaths can occur as a result of numerous types of accidents, including but not limited to the following:
- Truck accidents
- Plant explosions
- Workplace accidents
- Negligent security
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Car accidents
- Defective tires
What Damages Can Be Recovered in Wrongful Death Cases?
Under Texas law, families who have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful act can seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. These damages fall into two main categories: economic and non-economic. Understanding these can help families pursue fair compensation for their loss.
Economic damages are quantifiable monetary losses resulting from the death. In Texas, these may include:
- Lost earning capacity: The income the deceased would have likely earned if they had lived.
- Lost inheritance: The value of assets the deceased would have likely saved and left to family members.
- Lost care, maintenance, services, support, advice, and counsel: The monetary value of the deceased’s contributions to the household.
- Medical expenses: Costs related to the deceased’s final injury or illness.
- Funeral and burial expenses: Costs associated with the deceased’s funeral and interment.
- Economic damages are typically calculated using evidence such as the deceased’s earning history, life expectancy, and expert testimony on future economic projections.
Non-economic damages compensate for intangible losses that don’t have a specific monetary value. In Texas, these may include:
- Lost companionship and society: The surviving family’s lost benefits that would have flowed from the love, comfort, companionship, and society of the decedent.
- Mental anguish: The surviving family’s emotional pain, torment, and suffering they have experienced by the death of the decedent.
Quantifying non-economic damages in wrongful death cases is a complex process, as these damages don’t have an inherent monetary value. Attorneys typically use a combination of methods to build a compelling case for non-economic damages. They may also bring in expert witnesses, such as psychologists or economists, to provide professional opinions on the impact of the loss.
