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Q: Can a wrongful death lawsuit stem from a criminal activity?

Someone going to a Denny’s restaurant might order a slam from the menu. What they would not expect would be a fatal chokehold on the side. But that’s exactly what was reportedly served up to one man at the popular chain one night. And it wasn’t delivered by the staff.

The

Does the statute of limitations bar a county from trying to recover medical costs after waiting for five years?

In 2010, a Texas sheriff’s deputy responded to a call seeking assistance with a traffic stop of a possible stolen car. With flashing lights and siren on, he sped to the scene but, en route, had to swerve to avoid soundproofing that fell off a flatbed truck. Gravely injured, he died eight days later in the hospital.

If a family member has suffered as a result of personal injury or wrongful death, bringing a cause of action is not necessarily about personal gain. The individuals or businesses deemed responsible for the wrongful death are often forced into action to prevent the deaths of others, even if they’ve settled out of court. 

Here are some things you should know about personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Texas is home to an incredible number of refineries and chemical plants. They dot the landscape in clusters all over the state, providing the jobs the workers need to support their families. In some communities, they are literally almost in the backyards of the residents.

We don’t have to look too far back into Texas history to find a read more

Can I file a claim for damages as a result of my loved one’s death while in police custody or prison?

The current state of heightened tension and violence between members of the public and police officers across America has brought an increased level of stress to both parties involved in a routine traffic stop. Dash-cam footage and amateur videos shared on social media and news outlets bring police officers’ often split-second decisions into question and invite debate on issues including overreaching, profiling, and appropriateness of the use of force.

When a traffic stop goes awry, injuries or death to the public (or the police officer) may result immediately or subsequent to the arrest. What is considered justifiable cause for a traffic stop and proper use of force or restraint during one?  What is the proper standard of care and supervision of prisoners during their incarceration?

These questions are raised in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the mother of a woman whose traffic stop in July, 2015, for failing to signal a lane change led to her incarceration and apparent suicide by hanging in her Waller County Jail cell three days after her traffic stop.

The mother alleges that the public safety officer, who ordered the woman out of the car and claimed she was combative, overreached his authority during the questionable traffic stop and arrest.

By now, you have undoubtedly heard of the ignition switch problems plaguing General Motors – which have lead to hundreds of injury and property damage claims across the United States. As a refresher, millions of General Motors models were implanted with a defective ignition switch which could actually cause the vehicles to turn off while in motion. Of course, the sudden loss of power can cause serious accidents, particularly for vehicles traveling at high rates of speed on highways and interstates. So far, the defect is implicated in 124 deaths and 275 injuries.

As a result of the widespread harm, victims of the defective switches filed lawsuits against the company for damages.

Following a truly heinous chain of events, a grieving Dallas-area woman was awarded $50 million in a wrongful death lawsuit seeking redress on behalf of her child who was fatally pushed in front of a DART bus in 2011. Though she only originally sought $20 million on behalf of her son, the woman ultimately received more than double that amount after a jury heard testimony describing the horrific attack the child endured immediately prior to his demise. All in all, the court concluded that the perpetrators were grossly negligent and acted with conscious disregard of human life – resulting in the historic eight-figure judgment.

For nearly a century, asbestos has been linked with deadly respiratory cancer and disease, causing many manufacturers and industrial companies to shell out millions in injury claims and settlements. Now, decades later, injury victims are continuing to come forward with allegations of unbeknownst exposure, and demanding employers compensate for the personal and financial toll.

On October 5th of this year, a representative of the estate of a recently deceased Jefferson County man filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging exposure to asbestos – which the family believes ultimately killed the man.

The death of a loved one can come as a major shock and surprise, particularly to close family members. When the death occurs at the hands of a hospital or nursing home – which are meant to help heal and protect – the loss can be even more devastating. Thankfully, if neglect is suspected, grieving loved ones have the opportunity to file a wrongful death action against the alleged responsible party.

Earlier this year, a woman from Texas filed a

Under the laws of personal injury and negligence, an employer can be liable for the misdeeds of its employee if (i) the employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment duties, and (ii) the facts surrounding the injury were reasonably foreseeable. Keeping this in mind, consider the recent final decision issued by the Texas Supreme Court reversing a $32 million judgment against Domino’s Pizza, as the Court ultimately held that the pizza chain cannot be held liable for such an unforeseeable, random event as that detailed below.

In 2013, a Jefferson County jury awarded $32 million to the estates of a married couple killed in a head-on collision caused by a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. According to the facts presented at trial, the driver inexplicably crossed over the center line of a two-land roadway, killing the oncoming driver and passenger. After tying the driver’s misconduct to his employer, the jury concluded that Domino’s was ultimately responsible for the