Odessa Wrongful Death Lawyer
Losing a spouse, child, or parent is never easy. The loss can be much more devastating if it could have been avoided. If you’ve suffered the wrongful death of a family member in an accident in Odessa, Texas, call Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. Our Odessa wrongful death lawyers are here to stand beside you and fight for the justice your family deserves.
Choosing us means working with undefeated Texas trial attorneys who’ve won billions for injury victims and families across the state. Our client-driven strategies have helped us win record-setting verdicts and settlements for clients like you.
Contact our law office in Odessa, TX, today at 432-220-0000 to schedule a time for a free, no-obligation case assessment to learn more.
Table of Contents
- How Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers Can Help After the Unexpected Death of a Family Member in Odessa, TX
- How Does Texas Define Wrongful Death?
- Who Has the Right to Initiate a Wrongful Death Claim in Odessa?
- What Are the Leading Causes of Wrongful Death?
- What Damages Can Be Awarded in an Odessa Wrongful Death Case?
- Can Comparative Negligence Affect My Family’s Texas Wrongful Death Settlement?
- How Long Will My Family Have to Sue After the Wrongful Death of a Loved One in Odessa, Texas?
- Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Undefeated Odessa Wrongful Death Lawyers – Call 432-220-0000
How Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers Can Help After the Unexpected Death of a Family Member in Odessa, TX
Losing a loved one is unimaginable. No amount of money will ever make up for what happened, but you do 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 hire the best wrongful death lawyers in Texas, a team committed to ensuring you and your family have the financial resources to care and provide for yourselves in your loved one’s absence.
At Zehl & Associates, we are fearless advocates for families whose lives have been turned upside down by senseless acts and crimes in Odessa. We have the resources to rival the most powerful corporations and government agencies, and we’re prepared to invest them into your fight for compensation and justice:
- We have won Billions over the last five years for families whose loved ones were tragically killed in oilfield, plant and refinery explosions, truck accidents, and the most catastrophic workplace accidents in history
- We continue to recover the largest verdicts and settlements in Texas for wrongful death victims, including our most recent, record-setting victory: $37.5 Million secured for the family of a truck driver tragically killed in a collision in Dallas, TX.
Every wrongful death case is different, but our goal always remain the same:
- Hold the negligent and reckless parties fully accountable
- Recover the maximum compensation for our clients and their families, so that they have financial resources to care and provide for themselves for the rest of their lives
- Prevent the dangerous conduct from occurring again in the future
We not only achieve our goals and win for our clients and their families — we set records. But don’t take our word for it. Hear what our clients think about working with us.
Call 1-432-220-2000 for your free consultation today.
How Does Texas Define Wrongful Death?
In Texas, wrongful death cases arise when someone is killed because of another person’s “wrongful act, neglect, or default,” and the victim would have had the right to sue if they’d survived.
Since the victim is not alive, the opportunity to seek compensation shifts to someone else. This way, the victim’s surviving heirs can be compensated for their losses, as well as damages to which the victim would have been entitled if they’d lived.
Who Has the Right to Initiate a Wrongful Death Claim in Odessa?
Several parties can potentially bring a wrongful death lawsuit in the state of Texas. Priority is given to the victim’s surviving spouse, child, and/or parents – in that order.
If a surviving family member does not initiate a claim within three months of the victim’s wrongful death, the personal representative of the estate can pursue a claim on their own. The personal representative is named in the victim’s will – typically a child, close family friend, or personal injury attorney – or appointed by the court.
When a claim is brought by the personal representative, any damages that are awarded go to the victim’s estate. From there, they’re distributed pursuant to instructions in the victim’s will or in accordance with Texas intestacy law.
What Are the Leading Causes of Wrongful Death?
Under the right circumstances, almost any act of violence or negligence can be fatal.
At Zehl & Associates, we advocate for clients who have lost close family members as a result of:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Mass transit accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Catastrophic injuries
- Defective products
- Dog bites
- Matters of premises liability
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injuries
- Nursing home abuse or neglect
- Assaults
If you believe that the death of your spouse, child, or parent could have been avoided, don’t hesitate to contact our wrongful death attorneys in Odessa. We’re here to listen to your story, provide critical pieces of legal guidance, and help you fully understand your rights in this moment. If you have a case, we’ll be here to help you fight for compensation for your devastating loss.
What Damages Can Be Awarded in an Odessa Wrongful Death Case?
Wrongful death lawsuits are different from other types of personal injury cases in many ways. This is perhaps most evident when it comes to the types of damages that can be awarded to plaintiffs.
The purpose of a wrongful death lawsuit is to compensate the decedent’s surviving family members or estate. As a result, the damages that can be awarded are designed to facilitate this.
In Texas, both economic damages and non-economic damages can be awarded for:
- Lost financial support, benefits, and income
- The value of the household support the victim provided
- Lost inheritance
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship, love, and comfort
- Funeral expenses
- Medical bills paid prior to the victim’s death
Through a separate – but related – survival action, the victim’s estate can also seek compensation for the victim’s personal pain and suffering, as well as other damages they suffered in the time between when they were injured and ultimately died. For a survival action to thrive, the victim must have survived for at least some period of time after they were injured.
Punitive damages, or exemplary awards, can also be awarded if a wrongful death lawsuit goes to trial. In these situations, punitive damages are intended to punish a defendant for a “willful act or omission or gross negligence.” These are reserved for the most extreme cases, which might include a case involving a drunk driver or when a company intentionally conceals information about health risks from consumers.
Our wrongful death attorneys in Odessa will strategically pursue all of the damages to which your family is entitled under Texas state law. We’ll enlist the help of experts to help us understand the full impact your loved one’s death has had on your life – both financially and emotionally. When it’s time to negotiate, we’ll be ready to force fair conversations about your losses and leverage a meaningful offer from the defense.
Can Comparative Negligence Affect My Family’s Texas Wrongful Death Settlement?
Yes. Texas’s modified comparative negligence statute applies to all civil personal injury lawsuits, including matters of wrongful death.
Under the law, shared responsibility for an accident has a direct and adverse impact on a victim’s ability to recover compensation. Sharing 51 percent or more liability bars a financial recovery. Sharing 50 percent or less liability results in a reduced monetary award.
In wrongful death cases, the decedent’s shared fault is factored into the equation.
Let’s say your spouse was recently killed in a car accident in Odessa, Texas. Taking all of your damages into account, your wrongful death case is valued to be worth $2 million. However, your spouse is assigned 10 percent of the blame for their fatal wreck. As a result, the maximum recovery you can get is limited to $1.8 million.
It’s important to be ready to fight back against claims of shared responsibility. Your loved one isn’t around to offer their perspective or share their side of the story. Allegations must be contested diligently. When you’ve trusted Zehl & Associates, you can rest assured that our wrongful death lawyers in Odessa will be ready to defend your loved one’s name and fight to protect your ability to get a significant monetary award.
How Long Will My Family Have to Sue After the Wrongful Death of a Loved One in Odessa, Texas?
A family will typically have two years to seek damages in a wrongful death claim in the state of Texas. The clock on the statute of limitations begins on the date of the victim’s death. This may or may not be the date of their accident or the incident that inflicted their fatal wounds.
You must file your wrongful death claim within the applicable two-year window. If you miss the deadline, you lose the ability to demand financial justice for your loved one’s death.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Undefeated Odessa Wrongful Death Lawyers – Call 432-220-0000
With Billions won, our Odessa wrongful death attorneys have the resources, experience, and passion to take on any powerful corporation, government entity, or insurance carrier and recover the maximum compensation possible for our clients and their families.
If you tragically lost a close family member in a fatal accident in Odessa, Texas, contact us today for a free consultation at 1-432-220-0000 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.