Home » Dallas Wrongful Death Lawyer

Dallas Wrongful Death Lawyer

Have you recently suffered the loss of a loved one because of an accident in Dallas, Texas? You may have the right to seek compensation for your related financial losses and distress. An experienced Dallas wrongful death lawyer at Jay Murray Law Group is ready to help you work toward a meaningful financial recovery. Contact us at (214) 855-1420.

Since 1995, Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers has been a source of strength, compassion, and support for families whose lives have been turned upside down by tragic accidents.

Jay Murray is an award-winning Texas trial lawyer with a passion for helping families like yours fight back and demand justice for loved ones who were taken from them far too soon. his results are a testament to our dedication – he’s won $110 million (and counting) on behalf of his clients.

We handle all Texas personal injury matters and have years of experience representing clients in cases involving Dallas car accidents, motorcycle injuries, Dallas truck accidents, slip and fall cases, brain injury cases, and more.

How Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help Your Family After a Fatal Accident in Dallas, TX

How Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help Your Family After a Fatal Accident in Dallas, TX

It’s never easy to lose someone you love. That’s especially true when their death is the result of an entirely avoidable accident. And while money will never fully compensate for the loss you’ve experienced, it can make a huge difference as you move forward.

However, even if the insurance company or responsible party seems sympathetic, they still won’t have your family’s best interests at heart. After all, paying you for your loss cuts into their profits. So, they’ll probably try to fight you at every turn, working to minimize how much – if any – money you’re awarded.

That’s where Dallas personal injury lawyer Jay Murray and the team at Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers can help.

Our personal injury law firm can:

  • Investigate the circumstances surrounding your family member’s tragic death
  • Determine how the accident could have been avoided and who’s responsible for the incident
  • Carefully evaluate evidence related to your case gathered throughout the discovery process
  • Defend against claims that the decedent’s own negligence contributed to or caused their fatal injuries
  • Handle settlement negotiations on your family’s behalf
  • Prepare to reject unreasonably low offers and argue your wrongful death case at trial

At Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers, we know that the sudden death of a family member can have serious – and immediate – financial consequences. We do not want attorney’s fees to add to the stress you’re under right now. That’s why we represent families on a contingency fee basis. You only pay us if we settle or win your wrongful death case. When we win your case is when we get paid. Remember our fair fee guarantee: we will never be paid more than what you put in your pocket.

Call our wrongful death attorney in Dallas today to learn more.

How Does Texas Define Wrongful Death?

Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 71.001 to 71.003, wrongful death is defined as an injury resulting in a person’s death that’s caused by another person’s:

  • Wrongful act
  • Neglect
  • Carelessness
  • Unskillfulness, or
  • Default

In other words, wrongful death occurs when a person’s intentionally harmful or negligent actions cause fatal injuries.

Some common causes of wrongful death in Dallas include:

Do not hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out to our top-rated legal team if you’ve recently lost a family member in an accident in Dallas, TX. We are here to help you understand your legal rights and figure out the next steps forward.

Who Has the Right To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Dallas, Texas?

In Texas, close personal family members of the decedent reserve the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

This includes surviving:

  • Spouse
  • Children, and
  • Parents.

If there are no close surviving family members, the victim’s estate can then file a claim. Specifically, the personal representative (or executor) would be able to bring a claim. Damages recovered would then be distributed to surviving beneficiaries through the victim’s estate.

What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded in a Dallas Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

In Texas, it’s possible to recover both economic damages and non-economic damages in a wrongful death claim.

However, they are much more limited in scope than in other types of personal injury cases. It’s important to remember that the purpose of the wrongful death case is to compensate the surviving family members for their loss – not the fatally-injured victim.

Through a wrongful death claim, you may be able to recover compensation for:

  • Lost financial support
  • Lost job benefits
  • Lost inheritance
  • Lost companionship, support, guidance, and comfort
  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • Medical bills related to the fatal accident

If the decedent survived his or her injuries for a period of time after they got hurt, then the estate may also be eligible to recover compensation for their personal pain and suffering.

Punitive damages might also be awarded if there is substantial evidence to show that the defendant’s conduct was intentional or grossly negligent.

Our Dallas wrongful death attorney will aggressively fight to secure all of the compensation your family deserves under Texas state law.

How Much Is My Wrongful Death Case Worth?

Evaluation can be challenging in wrongful death cases. After all, many damages are related to projections of financial losses and quantifying things like a loss of companionship. 

So, there’s really no way to tell what your wrongful death case is worth without diving into the specifics of your situation.

However, many factors will play an important role throughout the valuation process:

  • How old was your family member when they died?
  • What was their projected life expectancy?
  • What type of work did your family member do?
  • What was their earning capacity, and was it expected to continue growing?
  • Did your family member’s own negligence contribute to their fatal accident?
  • What types of services did your family member contribute to the household?
  • What were the relationships like between your family member and other close relatives?

At Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers, we’ve worked hard to develop close working relationships with some of the most respected and reputable experts and specialists in the Dallas metro area. As we work on your wrongful death case, we’ll enlist the help of forensic financial specialists, actuaries, appraisers, and other experts to make sure that we get valuation right. Our goal isn’t just to help you win, it’s to make sure that you get every cent your wrongful death case is worth.

Texas is a modified comparative negligence state, and it’s adopted a 51 percent bar to recovery. If your family member was primarily responsible for the accident in which they died, then you will lose the right to seek compensation from a responsible third party.

If they played little-to-no role in their fatal accident, then you can recover compensation. However, the damages awarded in the wrongful death case will be reduced proportionately to fault. 

Let’s say your spouse was killed in a car accident in Dallas. They’re assigned 20 percent of the blame for the wreck because they were speeding at the time of the fatal collision. In turn, the damages in your wrongful death claim would be reduced by 20 percent.

Here’s the thing. Your family member isn’t around to explain the version of events from their perspective. They’re not here to tell their side of the story. The insurance company will try to take advantage of that and shift as much of the blame onto them as possible.

Our wrongful death attorney in Dallas will be there to give them a voice and make sure that any claims of shared responsibility are backed by facts and evidence.

What’s the Statute of Limitations for Texas Wrongful Death Claims?

Texas law provides a two-year window for families to seek compensation through a wrongful death action.

The statute of limitations begins to run on the date of the victim’s wrongful death. This might not be the same as the date their fatal injuries were inflicted.

Two years might seem like a lot of time, but it will pass by quickly. Don’t let a procedural technicality stand between you and the compensation you deserve. Call Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers as soon as you can after a fatal accident. We can begin to work on your wrongful death case as soon as you ask for our help.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Dallas Wrongful Death Lawyer

You shouldn’t have to bear the cost and burden of your family member’s tragic death on your own. Let the Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers help you fight to hold those responsible for your loss financially responsible for the consequences.

Dallas wrongful death attorney Jay Murray has 25+ years of experience handling complex wrongful death matters like yours. He and his legal team are ready to help you stand up and demand the compensation you not only need, but deserve, as you grieve your devastating loss.

Call our law office in Dallas, Texas, today to set up a time for a free, no-obligation case assessment to get started.

Our Dallas, TX personal injury law office also provides:

Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Dallas, TX

Jay Murray Car Accident and Truck Accident Lawyers
2512 State St
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 855-1420

Ride there with Uber