San Antonio Fatal Car Accident Attorney

Compensation That May Be Available After a Fatal Car Accident

No amount of money can truly make up for the loss of a spouse, parent, or child. Even so, the law recognizes that families often face serious financial and emotional consequences after a deadly collision. A wrongful death case is one way to seek accountability and to provide financial support for the years ahead.

Damages in a Texas wrongful death or survival case may include:

• Final expenses. Funeral and burial or cremation costs, as well as remaining medical bills related to the fatal injuries.
• Loss of income and benefits. The wages, benefits, and financial contributions your loved one would likely have provided over their expected working life.
• Loss of household services. The value of tasks your loved one performed for the family, such as childcare, home maintenance, or other support.
• Loss of companionship and guidance. The emotional impact of losing a close relationship, including love, comfort, and advice that can never be replaced.
• Mental anguish. The emotional pain and suffering experienced by surviving family members, which can be severe and long lasting.

The potential value of a case depends on many factors, including your loved one’s age, health, earnings, role in the family, and the specific circumstances of the crash. Our attorneys have handled hundreds of personal injury and disability cases and have recovered millions for clients across different kinds of claims. In a wrongful death matter, we use that experience to carefully gather evidence, work with appropriate experts, and negotiate with insurers while keeping your priorities in focus.

During an initial consultation, we can talk through what financial and non financial losses your family is facing and help you understand how the law may apply to your situation.

How Our San Antonio Legal Team Handles Fatal Car Accident Cases

When you work with our attorneys after a fatal crash in San Antonio, we want you to understand what to expect. While every case is different, there are common steps we typically follow to investigate what happened and pursue a claim against the responsible parties.

We generally approach a fatal crash case in several stages:

• Initial review. We gather and review the available records, such as crash reports, medical documentation, and photographs, and listen carefully to your account of what you know so far.
• Investigation. When appropriate, we work with investigators or qualified experts to analyze the scene, vehicle damage, and any electronic data from modern vehicles, and to identify potential witnesses.
• Liability analysis. We study the facts to understand how the collision occurred, including any role played by drunk driving, distraction, high speed, or company policies, and identify each party that may bear responsibility.
• Claim presentation. We compile medical, financial, and personal impact evidence to present a clear claim to the insurance companies involved.
• Negotiation and litigation. We negotiate firmly with insurers and, when necessary, file a lawsuit and prepare the case for trial in the appropriate court.

Our attorneys are familiar with local courts and we understand how cases typically move through these systems. We also have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies, including situations that involve multiple policies or commercial coverage. From the beginning, we prepare each case with the possibility of trial in mind, which helps us negotiate from a position of strength and present a clear story if the case proceeds to court.

Common Causes of Deadly Car Crashes in Our Area

Understanding why a fatal collision happened is an important part of any wrongful death case. Here in the San Antonio area, deadly crashes often involve a combination of dangerous driving behaviors and challenging traffic conditions on busy roads and highways.

Some frequent factors in fatal wrecks include:

• Drunk or impaired driving. Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs are more likely to make serious mistakes, drive at unsafe speeds, or ignore traffic signals.
• Distracted driving. Texting, using navigation apps, or other distractions can take a driver’s eyes and attention away from the road long enough to cause a catastrophic impact.
• High speed collisions. Crashes at highway speeds are more likely to lead to fatal injuries, especially when one vehicle is much larger or there are multiple impacts.
• Aggressive or reckless behavior. Tailgating, weaving through traffic, running red lights, and failing to yield can all set the stage for a deadly crash.
• Commercial and multi vehicle crashes. When commercial vehicles or several cars are involved, the force of impact can be much greater and responsibility more complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon should I talk to an attorney after a fatal car accident?

It is generally wise to speak with an attorney as soon as you feel able after a deadly collision. Important evidence, such as vehicle data, skid marks, surveillance footage, and witness memories, can fade or be lost over time. Early involvement gives a fatal car accident lawyer the chance to help preserve this information and handle communications with insurance companies on your behalf.

At the same time, we recognize that you are grieving and may not want to think about legal issues immediately. When families contact us, we move at a pace that respects their situation, but we also explain any time sensitive steps that could affect their rights. A brief initial call can help you understand whether immediate action is needed and what those steps might look like.

What if the insurance company already offered my family a settlement?

If an insurance company has already made a settlement offer, you are not required to accept it. Quick offers after a fatal crash are often lower than the full value of the claim, especially when long term financial and emotional impacts are considered. Once you sign a release and accept payment, it is usually very difficult or impossible to go back and seek more compensation later.

Our attorneys can review any offer you have received and help you understand how it compares to what might be recoverable in a wrongful death and survival claim. Because we handle these cases regularly, we are familiar with how insurers evaluate them and where they may try to cut corners. Before you make a final decision, it can be helpful to get an independent assessment from a legal team that is focused on your family’s interests.

Will my case have to go to trial?

Many wrongful death cases resolve through negotiated settlements, but some do proceed to trial when liability or the value of the claim is strongly disputed. Whether your case goes to trial can depend on factors such as the strength of the evidence, the number of parties involved, and how reasonable the insurance companies are during negotiations. Our firm prepares from the beginning as if a trial may be necessary, which helps ensure your case is ready if settlement talks break down.

As a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, Dan Packard has extensive courtroom experience in Texas personal injury cases, including serious and fatal crashes. We will discuss your options with you at each stage and give you clear information about the risks and benefits of settling versus going to trial. The final decision about whether to accept a settlement or proceed to court is always yours, and we are here to support you either way.

Talk With Our Team About Your Family’s Options

You do not have to carry the weight of legal and insurance problems alone after a fatal car accident. When you reach out to The Packard Law Firm, you will speak with a team that has spent decades helping Texas families through some of the hardest moments of their lives. We bring together our experience in wrongful death and serious vehicle cases, our Board Certified leadership, and our strong knowledge of courts in San Antonio to guide you through each step.

To talk with our legal team about your options after a fatal crash, call (210) 972-8918 today.