It could take a long time to deal with the fallout of the death of a family member. An unexpected loss can abruptly alter every aspect of your family’s daily lives.
From who picks the children up for school to how much income you have, many once-stable factors will become unpredictable and stressful. You have to organize a funeral, and then you will have to find a way to replace all of the services and support that your loved one previously provided to you.
On top of all of that, you also have to think about your legal rights and your family’s needs. There is only a limited window of opportunity in which you might be able to file a wrongful death claim against a person or business who causes the death of someone you love.
Texas has a strict statute of limitations for civil court claims
In Texas, as elsewhere, some laws limit how long either an individual or a government entity can take legal action against someone else. Your family will only have two years from the date of the death of your loved one to initiate a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party. In rare cases where lack of knowledge impacted your ability to take action, you may have rights beyond that 2-year statute of limitations.
You can potentially seek compensation for the wages your loved one didn’t earn and other losses that will affect your family’s finances through a civil lawsuit. Understanding the basics of a wrongful death claim can help you seek justice and support your family after losing a family member.