A McAllen wrongful death lawyer helps families who lost a loved one because of someone else's negligence hold the responsible parties accountable and recover financial compensation. The Lopez Law Group represents surviving family members in McAllen and across the Rio Grande Valley, in English and Spanish. As a personal injury law firm, we work on contingency, so you pay no attorney's fee and no case expenses unless we recover for you. Losing a loved one is the hardest thing a family faces, and the consultation is always free.
A McAllen wrongful death lawyer helps families who lost a loved one because of someone else's negligence hold the responsible parties accountable and recover financial compensation. The Lopez Law Group represents surviving family members in McAllen and across the Rio Grande Valley, in English and Spanish. Phone: (956) 968-7800.
What a wrongful death claim is in Texas
A Texas wrongful death claim lets certain family members recover when a loved one's death was caused by someone else's negligence or wrongful act. Under the Texas wrongful death statute, the spouse, children and parents of the person who died have the right to file a wrongful death claim. A separate survival action lets the loved one's estate recover for the pain and suffering the victim endured before death. An experienced McAllen wrongful death attorney often files both, so the family and the estate are each made whole. These claims cover a death from a car accident, a semi-truck crash, a workplace incident or any accident that was caused by someone else.
Common causes of wrongful death in McAllen
Most wrongful death actions in McAllen come from a sudden death that another person could have prevented. The common causes we see include:
- Car accidents and drunk-driving crashes
- Semi-truck and 18-wheeler collisions
- Workplace and construction incidents
- Defective products and unsafe premises
- Medical negligence
When an untimely death follows an accident that was caused by someone else's negligence, the family can file wrongful death claims against every party at fault. The insurance company for the responsible party usually pays, and it moves quickly to limit what it owes, which is why families in McAllen bring in a lawyer early to protect your rights.
Who can file and when
In Texas the surviving spouse, children and parents may file a wrongful death lawsuit, and any one of them can start the legal action for the benefit of all. If they do not file the claim within three months of the loved one's death, the estate's personal representative may file unless the family asks them not to. The estate may also bring the survival action for the victim's death. A Texas wrongful death attorney sorts out who has the right to file and makes sure the case is brought correctly the first time, so the loss of a loved one is not compounded by a missed deadline.
Damages in a McAllen wrongful death case
Texas law lets surviving family members recover for both the financial and the human losses:
- Lost financial support the loved one would have provided
- Loss of companionship, comfort and guidance
- Mental and emotional distress of the surviving family
- Lost inheritance the family would have received
- Funeral and burial costs
- In the survival action, the pain and suffering and medical bills before death
- Punitive damages where the conduct was grossly negligent
How much a wrongful death claim is worth depends on the loss and the evidence, so no honest lawyer quotes a figure or an average settlement before reviewing the case. Our job is to prove the full value and help your family seek justice.
The deadline to file a wrongful death claim in Texas
In most cases the family has two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit under Texas law and the statute of limitations. Some situations shorten or extend that window, and a claim filed late can be blocked. Because evidence and witness statements fade, it helps to speak with a Texas wrongful death lawyer soon, even while the family is still grieving.
How our McAllen wrongful death attorneys handle your case
We take on the legal work so your family can grieve. It starts with a free consultation at our law office where a personal injury lawyer explains your legal options with care and in plain words. A wrongful death claim is a personal injury claim brought by the family, and when the death of a loved one follows an accident that was caused by someone at fault, we act from the time of death forward to preserve the proof. Our legal team investigates, gathers the police report and witness statements, identifies every responsible party, builds the losses with financial and medical experts, and files the claim with a full demand. When there is no fair offer, we go to trial. That is how a compassionate legal team holds the parties accountable and moves a wrongful death case from a low first offer to a result the family deserves, every step of the way. For a loved one injured but not lost, our McAllen personal injury attorney page covers the other personal injury cases.
Why McAllen families choose The Lopez Law Group
We are a bilingual personal injury firm with roots in Hidalgo County and offices serving McAllen and South Texas. You get an experienced McAllen wrongful death lawyer, direct access to attorney Fernando J. Lopez, and Texas lawyers who have represented more than 2,500 clients over 18 years. We handle wrongful death in McAllen with care, and clients recommend this law practice because we help you seek justice and help you get justice and financial recovery both. We work only on contingency, so your family never pays unless we recover, and Spanish-speaking families get everything in their language. You pay no attorney's fee and no case expenses unless we recover for you, and the consultation is free. Contact us to speak with an injury lawyer today.
Frequently asked questions
How much can you sue for wrongful death in Texas?
There is no cap in most Texas wrongful death cases, and no set number. What a family can recover depends on the lost support, the loss of companionship, the financial losses and the evidence. Any figure quoted before a lawyer reviews the case is a guess.
How hard is it to win a wrongful death lawsuit?
It takes proof that someone's negligence caused the death, which is why evidence and experienced legal representation matter. These cases are provable, and a firm with a track record of wrongful death claims in McAllen knows how to build them. A free case review tells you where yours stands.
Who can file a wrongful death claim in Texas?
The surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died. Any one of them can file for the benefit of all, and the estate may also bring a survival action. A wrongful death lawyer can help confirm who has the right to file.
Do you help Spanish-speaking families?
Yes. Our team represents families in English and Spanish across McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.
Contact a McAllen wrongful death lawyer today
If your family lost a loved one in an accident caused by someone else in McAllen or anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley, contact our McAllen law firm today for a free consultation. You pay no attorney's fee and no case expenses unless we recover for you. The attorney responsible for the content of this page is Fernando J. Lopez. Our primary office is in Weslaco, Texas.
Resources and Where to Find Us
Follow The Lopez Law Group
Case updates, Texas injury law explained in English and Spanish, and answers to the questions people ask before they hire a lawyer.
The Lopez Law Group, PLLC — 2611 N Texas Blvd #1, Weslaco, TX 78599 · (956) 968-7800 · Serving McAllen, Weslaco, Brownsville, Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley. Hablamos español.
