Austin Wrongful Death Lawyer

Unexpectedly losing a loved one is one of the most overwhelming experiences a family can face. Our attorney at Schuelke Law understands how grief, shock, and uncertainty can impact your family’s future. With unwavering focus and dedication, our Austin wrongful death lawyer helps families pursue justice, accountability, and compensation. Our personal injury attorney approaches each case with compassion, tenacity, and a local perspective.

Wrongful Death Cases

We know that few things can be as devastating as losing a loved one. You will certainly be experiencing grief. And depending on the circumstances surrounding the death, you may be dealing with anger, guilt, anxiety, and worries about the future. We also know that traumatic losses, those that are unexpected and caused by others, are much more painful and cause these emotions to be heightened than the loss of a loved one through natural causes.

We try to help our clients overcome those losses. Certainly, we will help relieve some of the burden that is presented through the legal process. But beyond that, we want to help you through the loss process. That may mean just being your lawyer, but it may also mean pointing you to other resources that we know about through our representation of other clients dealing with losses of their loved ones.

Whether the at-fault party is a negligent driver, employer, property owner, or medical provider, our attorney understands how to build successful wrongful death claims in Austin.

Wrongful Death and Survival Statutes

Texas wrongful death claims are governed by the same liability rules governing other claims. For example, the estate or beneficiaries will be entitled to recover from a company if the deceased was killed as a result of the company’s negligence. However, damages in death claims are governed by the Texas wrongful death statute and the survival statute. The wrongful death statute regulates the recovery that family members may seek for their own damages. The survival statute regulates what damage the estate may seek on behalf of the deceased for damages suffered between the time of the injury and the time of death.

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 71.004, only certain beneficiaries, such as spouses, children, and parents, may file a claim. In many cases, a statutory executor will bring a survival claim. These statutes impose strict deadlines and procedural requirements that, if missed, could prevent your family from receiving any compensation. At Schuelke Law, we could meticulously meet those deadlines to properly preserve your right to recover damages.

Additionally, our attorney could work with local investigators, accident reconstruction specialists, and medical experts in Austin who understand how to tie the facts of your wrongful death case into the statutory framework to maximize your settlement.

Why Should You Hire an Attorney?

When the loss is as profound as a wrongful death in Austin, working with a lawyer who understands the specifics of these types of cases makes a major difference. Knowledgeable legal counsel knows how to:

• Navigate the court system, motions, and jury rules
• Coordinate with local entities to collect accident and medical reports
• Recognize when a case merits expert analysis in areas such as vocational loss, future earning capacity, and emotional damages
• Build a narrative for your family that goes beyond numbers, showing jurors what the decedent meant to you, the community, and your life
• Handle catastrophic cases, such as fatal trucking collisions or industrial fatalities, which often involve multiple defendants, complex insurance policies, and aggressive defense teams

Our experience makes us uniquely focused, prepared, and committed to these tough cases.

Our Process

When you first call to schedule your free consultation with our Austin attorney to understand the legalities of your case and determine whether you have a viable wrongful death claim, we will treat you with compassion. After that, our team could:

• Collect and preserve evidence to ensure nothing is lost as time passes
• Work closely with expert witnesses to quantify the full effect of the loss for you, your family, and your future
• Investigate the cause of death, identify all potentially responsible parties, and build a case file tailored to the state’s wrongful death and survival claims.
• Negotiate aggressively with insurance carriers and defense attorneys for a fair settlement, while remaining trial-ready if it becomes necessary to go to court
• Keep you informed every step of the way, providing transparent communication and guidance on non-legal issues, such as funeral costs, estate administration, and tax concerns

Our goal is to shoulder the legal burden so you can focus on taking care of your family while we pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.

Call an Austin Attorney To Discuss a Wrongful Death Claim

Losing a loved one under circumstances where someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing played a part is unacceptable. At Schuelke Law, we believe your family deserves compassion and support during this difficult time, as well as the advocacy that only a dedicated Austin wrongful death lawyer can provide. We work tirelessly to protect our clients’ rights, honor the life of the person they lost, and secure results that reflect the true cost of their family’s grief and loss.

While we cannot bring back your loved one, we can help you navigate the claims process and pursue justice for you and your family. Talk to an Austin wrongful death lawyer at our firm to learn more about wrongful death and get answers to some commonly asked questions:

Wrongful Death FAQ
What Damages May Be Recovered in a Wrongful Death Claim?
Who May Bring a Wrongful Death Claim?
What are non-economic damages in relation to a wrongful death lawsuit?
What is a survival claim?
Is there a statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim in Texas?