Odessa Wrongful Death Attorney | Loss Of A Loved One

Losing a loved one because of someone else’s negligence changes every part of life overnight. While your family copes with funeral arrangements, financial uncertainty, and unanswered questions, dealing with insurance companies can quickly become another overwhelming burden.

At The Biggs Firm, our Odessa wrongful death lawyer helps families throughout Ector County hold negligent parties accountable after a fatal accident. Our team carries the legal weight so you can tend to your family, your memories, and the long road of grief ahead.

Compassion and candor matter more than a sales script when your loss is this raw. Bringing over 30 years of courtroom work to families here at home, we handle each case personally, never passing you to a stranger. Call The Biggs Firm at 432-201-3524 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Why Do Families Across Odessa Turn to The Biggs Firm?

Families coping with a wrongful death deserve an attorney who understands both the legal process and the community they call home. Born in Midland and raised in Odessa, our attorney has spent years practicing in West Texas and brings firsthand knowledge of the local courts and the personal injury issues that matter to Ector County families.

Results follow that steady, honest approach. One example: a claim that a larger firm had passed over went on to settle for $4.5 million after our closer look at the facts.

Our personal injury firm builds every case with plain honesty, declines illegal case-running tactics, and offers full Spanish-speaking service along with an after-hours line, because loss does not keep business hours.

What Counts as a Wrongful Death in Texas?

A wrongful death happens when someone’s negligent, careless, or deliberate act causes another person to die. The claim exists to shift the financial burden of that loss onto the party at fault rather than the surviving family.

Fault can trace back to a driver, a company, a property owner, or a product maker. Fatal accidents in the Permian Basin often result from:

Drunk or distracted driving crashes
Commercial truck and highway collisions
Bars and restaurants overserving patrons under dram shop laws
Workplaces and construction sites with ignored or overlooked hazards
Oilfield explosions, falls, and equipment failures
Unsafe or poorly maintained premises

Certain cases involving a dangerous product open additional avenues against manufacturers and distributors. When a faulty part or design contributes to a death, a claim involving defective and dangerous products can reach companies far up the supply chain, well beyond the immediate scene.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?

Texas limits who may bring this action, and the list is narrower than many families expect. The law reserves the claim for the closest surviving relatives, not extended family or friends.

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 71.004, only a surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased may file, either individually or together for the benefit of all. If none of them file within three months of the death, the estate’s executor or administrator generally must step in unless the family asks otherwise. Grandparents and siblings, notably, hold no standing under this rule.

What Can a Family Recover for Wrongful Death in Odessa?

Compensation in a fatal case reflects both the money the family loses and the human connection that can never be replaced. Texas allows recovery for tangible costs and for the harder-to-measure toll a death leaves behind.

A thorough claim accounts for every dimension of that loss, and commonly includes:

Lost earnings and financial support the deceased provided
Funeral and burial expenses
Loss of companionship, comfort, and guidance
Mental anguish suffered by close survivors
Lost inheritance

In some cases, surviving family may also recover punitive damages when a death results from gross negligence, malice, or intentional misconduct, such as extreme drunk driving or serious oilfield safety violations. These damages are intended to punish particularly egregious conduct and discourage similar behavior in the future.

What Steps Help Protect Your Family’s Claim?

Avoid providing recorded statements to the at-fault insurer until speaking with our team. Early action helps preserve the evidence a wrongful death claim relies on. While your family focuses on grieving, our team can handle much of the process. Key items to gather include:

A copy of the official crash or incident report
The deceased’s medical and pay records
Autopsy or medical examiner’s report
Names and numbers of any witnesses

Gathering this proof early strengthens the eventual claim and closes off an insurer’s easy defenses. Families facing a fatal motor vehicle accident especially benefit when someone secures the vehicles and their electronic data before repairs or salvage remove it.

Odessa Fatal Accident FAQ: Answers for Families

How Long Do Families Have to File in Texas?

Two years from the date of death, in most cases. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003(b) sets that window, and the clock starts the day your loved one passes, not the day of the original injury, which matters when someone survives an accident for weeks or months before dying.

Does a Criminal Case Affect Our Claim?

No, the two move on separate tracks. A prosecutor may pursue charges in the Ector County courts while your family pursues a civil claim, and a not-guilty verdict does not bar your case, since civil claims carry a lower burden of proof.

How Much Does Hiring The Biggs Firm Cost Upfront?

Nothing out of pocket. Wrongful death cases run on a contingency fee, so your family owes attorney fees only if the claim brings in a recovery, with no hourly bills along the way. Certain litigation costs may still apply, which we explain clearly at the start.

Take the First Step With Our Odessa Wrongful Death Lawyer

Nothing can undo your loss, yet the choices your family makes in the coming weeks will determine whether the party responsible ever answers for it. The other side’s insurer is already working to pay as little as possible.

Our local Odessa wrongful death lawyer answers the phone, treats your family with respect rather than as a claim number, and can carry this burden while you grieve.

Standing with families who have lost the most, our team at The Biggs Firm brings honest, steady guidance to a moment that demands it. Call 432-201-3524 or contact our firm online while the law still gives your family room to act.

I am a Viet Nam veteran. I have thyroid problems due to Agent Orange, and I gained a great deal of weight. I was injured at a large department store when a display of lawn furniture I sat on suddenly collapsed because it was not fully assembled. The store blamed the accident on my weight. Nevertheless, Brent A. Biggs was able to obtain compensation for me due to my back injury.

After my commercial building was damaged by hail, my insurance company failed to pay the full amount of damage to the HVAC units on my building. Brent A. Biggs threatened a lawsuit and negotiated with the insurance company until I was able to obtain a full recovery of my damages.

Our son was diagnosed with cancer. After his diagnosis, an insurance salesman sold us a small life insurance policy when he had full knowledge of my son’s cancer. He told us that the insurance company would cover us anyway. He never sent our application or payments to the insurance company. They denied our claim after our son died. Brent A. Biggs was able to obtain the full benefits under the policy. We were able to have a final funeral and purchase a proper headstone for our son.

My husband was killed in a work-related accident. Brent A. Biggs represented me against the insurance company. We went to trial in front of a jury against a team of insurance lawyers, paralegals and assistants. The jury found in our favor due to the representation of Brent A. Biggs, and I received compensation for the remainder of my natural life.

Odessa Wrongful Death Lawyer