The officer stands at your door in the middle of the night with news no family should hear. Your loved one was in a car accident. They didn’t make it. In the days that follow, grief consumes everything while questions pile up without answers. Our fatal car accident lawyers in Celina can get you those answers.
The Texas Law Dog represents families who have lost loved ones in fatal car accidents throughout Celina. Our lead attorney’s insurance background taught him how companies minimize wrongful death claims, and Our Team Bites Back when they devalue what your family has lost.
If you need a car accident lawyer in Celina after losing someone, contact us for a compassionate, free consultation.
Who Has Legal Standing to File a Wrongful Death Claim
Texas law strictly limits who can bring wrongful death claims. The surviving spouse has the primary right to file within three months of the death. Children of the deceased can file their own claims during this same period. Parents can pursue claims if their adult child was unmarried and had no children.
If no eligible family member files within three months, the executor of the estate gains the right to bring the claim. Working with a personal injury lawyer in Celina who handles wrongful death cases ensures the proper party files the claim within the required timeframe. Insurance companies will dismiss improperly filed claims on technical grounds.
The personal representative of the estate can also file survival claims for losses the deceased experienced before death. These claims belong to the estate and cover different damages than wrongful death claims. Both types of claims often proceed together in fatal accident cases.
Calculating Economic Losses Your Family Will Face
Lost income extends decades into the future for working-age victims. Your family lost the financial support your loved one would have provided through their remaining work years. Economists calculate this by examining earning history, career trajectory, benefits, and retirement contributions. Insurance companies will try to minimize these projections.
The household services your loved one provided have real economic value. Childcare, home maintenance, meal preparation, transportation, and financial management all cost money when you must pay someone else to do them. Texas law recognizes these losses as compensable damages in wrongful death cases.
Benefits and retirement accounts represent additional economic losses. Your loved one would have accumulated more in their 401(k), pension, and Social Security over their working life. Health insurance and other employment benefits they provided also have measurable value.
Celina Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Non-Economic Damages
Loss of companionship claims compensate for the relationship you lost. Spouses lose their partner’s love, affection, comfort, and society. Children lose parental guidance, nurturing, and support. Parents lose their child’s companionship and the relationship they would have enjoyed.
Each family member’s claim is individual and separate. A spouse’s loss differs from a child’s loss. Young children who lost a parent face decades without that guidance. Elderly parents who lost an adult child face different but equally real losses.
Texas doesn’t cap non-economic damages in wrongful death cases unless medical malpractice is involved. Your family’s loss of companionship has real value, even though it can’t be measured precisely. Our Celina fatal car accident lawyers will argue for the maximum value of these damages.
Why Insurance Companies Undervalue Wrongful Death Claims
Adjusters pressure families when they’re most vulnerable. They make early settlement offers while you’re still planning the funeral and dealing with shock. These offers typically cover only immediate expenses and ignore long-term financial losses. Once you accept their money and sign their release, you give up all future rights.
They dispute life expectancy calculations to reduce payouts. If your loved one were 40 years old, they likely would have lived another 40-plus years. Insurance companies will argue for shorter life expectancies to minimize the value of lost future income and companionship. They’ll reference health issues or lifestyle factors to justify their lowball projections.
Defense lawyers will investigate your loved one’s lifestyle and health. They look for pre-existing conditions or risky behaviors they can use to argue for a shorter life expectancy.
They’ll claim your loved one’s earning potential was limited or that family relationships were strained. These tactics are designed to reduce what they pay your family.
How Our Fatal Car Accident Attorneys in Celina Build Cases
We gather evidence about what your loved one meant to your family and household finances. Employment records, tax returns, and benefits statements document economic contributions. Family photos, videos, letters, and testimony from friends establish the depth of relationships. School records and involvement in children’s activities show parental engagement.
Expert witnesses provide crucial testimony in wrongful death cases. Economists calculate financial losses over decades. Vocational specialists project career advancement and earnings growth. Mental health professionals can explain grief and loss to juries.
We work with families through every stage of these difficult cases. From filing the initial claim through settlement or trial, we handle the legal process so you can focus on healing. Our goal is to hold negligent parties accountable while securing compensation that reflects what your family truly lost.
Our Firm Fights for Families With Compassion and Strength
We’ve represented grieving families throughout Celina in wrongful death cases. Our Team Bites Back against insurance companies that try to minimize your loss, but we treat families with the respect and compassion you deserve during this impossible time. Our lead attorney’s insurance background means we understand how companies evaluate these claims internally.
Since 2018, we’ve built relationships with local judges and the legal community that help us advocate effectively. We handle wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis. Contact our fatal car accident lawyers in Celina today for a free consultation.
