The Five Most Common Kinds of Texas Wrongful Death Cases

The death of a loved one is a very trying ordeal for anyone to experience, but when that death was caused by another person’s negligence, it often leaves surviving family members feeling completely heartbroken and incredibly angry. The despair that follows losing someone you love in an event that was both unexpected and avoidable often leaves people with a lot of questions and very few answers. This is when you should contact a Texas wrongful death lawyer.

What is the first step in filing a Texas wrongful death case?

The Texas wrongful death lawyers at the Rasansky Law Firm are here to help you understand and protect your rights after losing a family member due to someone’s reckless or careless actions. We know that the process of filing a wrongful death suit is unfamiliar to most victims and are here to walk you through each phase and help you avoid common mistakes that can cost you money.

Contact our Dallas-area personal injury team today to schedule a free review of your potential claim. 

Texas Wrongful Death Suits

The Five Most Common Kinds of Texas Wrongful Death Cases

A wrongful death suit is a claim against the person or entity deemed responsible for a death. At its core, it is a personal injury claim that had to be filed by a third party because the victim died. 

Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code states that an action for wrongful death can be filed if “the wrongful act, neglect, unskillfulness, carelessness, or default” of one party causes the death of another party.” The wrongful death statute in Texas permits specific surviving family members of the deceased to pursue wrongful death actions.

Those who are eligible include:

  •  The surviving wife or husband of the deceased
  •  The deceased’s children
  •  The deceased’s parents

Either a single eligible person can file the claim on their own, or multiple eligible people can choose to file it collectively.

Some of the most common forms of wrongful death cases in Texas arise from:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

When talking about wrongful deaths, the most obvious place to begin is with motor vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data showing that almost 39,000 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in the United States in 2020.  

The grim reality of this statistic is that the majority of these incidents were caused by driver negligence, meaning they and the deaths they caused were preventable, most likely through one of the following:

  • Fatigued driving
  • Speeding
  • Distracted driving
  • Reckless or illegal driving practices
  • Driving while under the influence

If any one or a combination of these negligent driving behaviors played a role in a fatal car accident, the driver could be held accountable for any deaths that followed. 

If a fatal accident was caused by poor roadway conditions, such as unmaintained streets or inadequate signage, the city or state could be held liable for any accrued damages. 

Medical Malpractice

While we like to tell ourselves that medical professionals are and therefore are above making mistakes, the fact is that they are human beings, and human beings make mistakes. Unfortunately, when a mistake is made in the medical field, it can end up cutting someone’s life short. 

A study that was recently published by the American Medical Association lists medical negligence as the third most common cause of death in the United States, trumped only by heart disease and cancer. The most common form of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose. 

Defective Products

We have all heard about defective products that have caused injuries to those who try to use them, but what if a defective product causes someone to lose their life?

Companies are obligated to make sure that the products they develop and manufacture are safe for the general public before they are sold on the open market. This is accomplished through numerous kinds of safety tests and stress tests. If a company releases a product that is not safe and consumer-ready, and someone is injured or killed as a result, the company can be held responsible.  

Workplace Accidents

For anyone who has ever held a job outside of the home, it should come as no great surprise that people being injured at their place of work is practically a daily occurrence. 

Although high-risk jobs, such as logging workers, construction workers, and steel workers, certainly have a greater percentage of work-related deaths, it is possible for a fatal accident to take place in any occupation.

While not nearly as perilous as a construction site or an offshore oil rig, wrongful deaths can occur in:

  • An office
  • A retail store
  • A restaurant
  • A classroom

If your work contributed to a dangerous situation that led to a fatality, the company could be held liable for wrongful death. For instance, if an employee at a grocery store was made to operate a piece of machinery with no experience, supervision, or safety training and ends up being fatally injured, their employer can be held liable.

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

Nursing homes house some of our country’s most vulnerable citizens. Most nursing home residents are unable to go about their day-to-day lives without assistance. They live there because they need guidance and care, many of them for even the smallest of tasks.  

When a nursing home resident with poor physical or mental health is neglected or abused, the results are often deadly.  

Some of the most common forms of nursing home neglect and abuse are:

  • Dehydration
  • Malnourishment
  • Physical abuse
  • Failure to diagnose
  • Failure to monitor
  • Slip and fall accidents caused by negligence

Consult a Respected Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer 

If you lost a member of your family through the dereliction or negligence of another person, you do not have to face a Texas wrongful death suit alone. Contact a Texas personal injury lawyer from the Rasansky Law Firm today for a free case review at (214) 651-6100 or through our online form. Our Dallas-area legal team understands how devastating this experience is for you and your family. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Search

OUR DALLAS LOCATION

2525 McKinnon Street #550 Dallas, Texas 75201

Note: The information that was utilized in this post was gathered from the use of secondary sources. This information used has not been confirmed or independently verified. If you locate any information that is not correct, please contact our firm as soon as possible so that we can make the appropriate corrections. If you find any information that is false, we will remove or correct the post immediately after it is brought to our attention.

Disclaimer: As a valued member of the Dallas community, Rasansky Law Firm’s goal is to improve the safety of all residents in the great state of Texas. These posts should not be viewed as a solicitation for business and the information included herein should not be taken as medical or legal advice. The photos used in this post are not representative of the actual crash scene.

Related Post

December 4, 2024
Rasansky Law Firm Honored With Tier 1 Rankings In 2025 Best Law Firms By Best Lawyers

Prestigious recognition underscores firm’s excellence in Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation [Dallas, Texas, 4 December 2024] — Rasansky Law Firm has been recognized as one of the premier law firms by […]

Read More
November 22, 2024
Birth Injury Claims: When to Settle or Go to Trial

A birth injury settlement occurs when the medical professional whose negligence injured a child (the defendant) agrees to pay financial compensation to the aggrieved family (the plaintiff). Birth injury awards are intended to […]

Read More
November 22, 2024
The Role of Dash Cams in Proving Fault in Car Accidents

Motor vehicle collisions can cause profound distress and even change the course of a victim's life, leaving behind financial strains, physical and emotional harm, and ongoing stress. Of course, filing an accident claim […]

Read More

Why Choose
Rasansky Law Firm

Over 30+ Years Of Personal Injury Experience

Top-Rated and Award-Winning Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorneys Available to Discuss Your Case Now

No Fee Unless You Win

Free Confidential Consultation.

Request A Free Consultation

Fill out the form below to receive a free and confidential initial consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

chevron-down