Start with your family's questions
A first conversation can focus on what your family already knows and what remains unclear. Nolan reviews the circumstances without assuming every family has the same priorities.
No Fee Unless We Win
Dallas wrongful death Lawyer
Clear answers. Personal attention.
Discuss your wrongful death case directly with Nolan. Review the evidence, coverage and next steps.
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Contacting the firm does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Discuss your family’s questions
Lost someone through another’s actions?
Get a careful conversation about the next step.
A family loss can bring financial worries and difficult decisions while you are grieving. Nolan can discuss the circumstances and the family’s questions without expecting you to value the loss or resolve every estate issue before making contact.
- Explain the different family and estate claim questions so they can be considered without being combined into one assumption.
- Review losses and proposed releases with attention to what the documents address and whose claim is involved.
Nolan Ryan McConvilleManaging attorney · Licensed in Texas since 2016
Firmwide: 99% win rate.
Firmwide: 99% win rate.
Dallas wrongful death claims
Wrongful death and survival claims in Dallas
Nolan Ryan McConvilleManaging attorney · Licensed in Texas since 2016Nothing about a legal claim makes up for losing someone. What a claim can do is hold the responsible party accountable, cover what the family has lost, and take some financial pressure off people who are grieving.
Nolan Ryan McConville represents Dallas families after fatal crashes and workplace deaths. He handles each case himself, explains every step in plain terms, and does the investigation so your family doesn't have to. Your family sets the pace. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney's fee unless money is recovered.
- Free consultation
- No fee unless we recover
- Work directly with Nolan
Talk privately about your family's questions and next steps.
You can begin with the question facing the family now: who may act, what a letter means, or how the loss is documented. Tell Nolan which issue needs explaining without trying to resolve everyone’s legal role first.
About Nolan Ryan McConville, Texas attorney since 2016 · Updated October 2026
Nolan Ryan McConville
Managing attorney
- Licensed in Texas since 2016
- J.D. cum laude, Texas Tech School of Law
- Member, Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Make one family file easier to navigate
Who has which record?
If relatives are gathering papers, note who holds the originals and where copies are stored. This is an organizing step, not a decision about who represents the estate.
What has been requested?
Keep incoming requests and offers together with their dates and senders. Note who received each one so the family can explain what has happened without repeating every call.
What needs an answer?
Bring unanswered questions even when documents are missing. Separate practical concerns from decisions that require advice; nobody needs to arrive with a complete plan.
Two claims
Texas gives families two different claims
Wrongful death and survival claims are usually brought together in one lawsuit, but they belong to different people and cover different harms.
A family that files only one may leave part of the loss uncompensated.
Wrongful death claim
Compensates certain family members for their own losses: the support, care, guidance and companionship they no longer have.
Survival claim
The claim the person who died would have had if they had lived. It passes to the estate.
From the first meeting
- Nolan looks at both claims.
- He identifies the family members who can bring a claim, whether an estate needs to be opened, and how to keep everyone's interests aligned, so one person's decision doesn't cut off someone else's rights.
Who can bring a claim
Who can file a Texas wrongful death claim
Surviving spouse
A husband or wife, including a common-law (informal) spouse if the marriage can be proven. A former spouse is not included.
Children
Children of any age, including adult children, can bring a claim for the loss of a parent.
Parents
Parents can bring a claim for the loss of a child, including an adult child.
The estate
The executor or administrator brings the survival claim, and in some situations steps in on the wrongful death claim.
Who isn't on the list
Brothers, sisters and grandparents can't bring a wrongful death claim, though they may share in the survival claim as heirs.
For the family
Practical steps for the weeks ahead
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate
- Locate any will and note who may serve as executor
- Keep pay stubs, tax returns and benefits statements
- Keep the person's phone and devices, and don't reset them
- Save photos, videos and messages that show the person's life and role in the family
- Write down the names of witnesses and anyone who called with information
- Keep receipts for funeral, burial and medical expenses
- Forward insurance letters to Nolan instead of responding yourself
Case preparation
What Nolan checks first
Nolan works to secure evidence, reports, coverage and medical records, and takes insurer calls off your family's hands.
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01Review step
Preserve the evidence
Nolan sends preservation letters to the drivers, companies and insurers involved, covering vehicle data, dashcam and business video, phone records and, in truck cases, electronic logs.
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02Review step
Handle the insurers
He handles insurer communication. Keep a list of who has contacted the family, what they requested and any documents or offers they sent.
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03Review step
Witnesses and site records
In a crash case he looks for witnesses while memories are fresh. In a workplace death, he moves to secure site records and photos and tracks any OSHA investigation.
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04Review step
Reports and coverage
He orders the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3) and any supplemental reports from Dallas Police or the investigating agency, and identifies every policy that may apply, including commercial, excess and the family's own UM/UIM coverage.
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05Review step
Medical documentation
He gathers EMS run sheets, hospital records, and the medical examiner's report and death certificate when they are available.
The sequence and timing depend on your case, engagement and the records available.
Your family shouldn't be fielding insurer calls while planning a funeral.
The cases
The deaths behind these claims
These claims come from crashes, work sites and government vehicles or roads. Nolan prepares every wrongful death case for trial, with the proper court and county determined by applicable venue rules.
Crashes
Many cases come from 18-wheelers on I-20 and I-35E, cars and motorcycles on Dallas freeways, and pedestrians hit on busy city streets.
Impaired drivers
- A provider may be liable when it served someone who was obviously intoxicated to the point of being a clear danger, and that intoxication proximately caused the harm.
- The cap may not apply when conduct meets a specifically listed statutory exception, including qualifying intoxication-manslaughter conduct. A criminal charge alone does not establish the exception.
Construction and industrial sites
- Most private Texas employers may choose whether to carry workers’ compensation, though some employers and projects have different requirements.
- A nonsubscriber can be sued for negligence and loses certain common-law defenses.
- Even with comp, a claim may exist against another responsible company. Project-wide coverage can also protect a general contractor or other statutory employer, so the policy arrangement matters.
Government vehicles and roads
- Claims against a city, county, DART or a school district require an applicable immunity waiver; notice rules and caps depend on the entity.
- When immunity is waived, Texas city bodily-injury damages are generally capped at $250,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence, and counties, school districts and some other local units have lower caps.
That doesn't mean every case goes to trial. It means the defense knows the case is ready.
Proving the loss
How a family's loss is shown
Juries and insurers need to understand who the person was, not only what happened to them.
When several relatives are involved, Nolan explains the options to each of them, so no one is surprised.
Support and family role
- Nolan gathers pay records, tax returns and work history.
- He talks with family about the person's role: the parent who drove the carpool, the adult child who managed an aging parent's care, the spouse who handled the household.
Future losses
- A young child loses years of a parent's guidance.
- A spouse loses a partner's income through retirement.
- When the case calls for it, Nolan works with economists and other professionals so the claim reflects the future.
Companionship and mental anguish
These are real losses under Texas law, proven through the people closest to the person. Nolan prepares those family members to tell that story in their own words.
Dividing the damages
- Damages are divided by each family member's loss, and a court may need to approve a child's share and how it is held.
- The survival claim adds the person's medical bills and pain before death, handled through the estate.
Before you sign anything
Insurers sometimes contact families within days and offer to cover funeral costs in exchange for a signed release. A release can end the family's claims. Don't sign anything from an insurer until you understand what it gives up. Nolan can review any document you've been sent before you respond.
When asking about a proposed document, identify whose signature is requested and what the sender says it would resolve. Keep those questions separate from whether the offered amount feels adequate to the family.
Questions before signing? Call Nolan at (214) 706-4031
Past results
Related results
Past result
$12,000,000
Construction accident and wrongful death settlement
Past result
$10,000,000
18-wheeler accident settlement
Case results are gross settlement amounts from past Nolan Ryan Law cases and depend on the facts of each case. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Related cases
Related practice areas
Truck accidents
Car accidents
Industrial accidents
Motorcycle accidents
Free consultation
Talk to Nolan about your case
There is no cost to talk with Nolan, and no attorney's fee unless money is recovered.
Start with your relationship to the person who died and your family's immediate questions. Share any insurer letters or reports you have; a complete file can wait.
- Fee agreed in writing
- Phone, video or in person
- You talk directly with Nolan
Your written fee agreement also explains how case expenses are handled.
Your case, handled personally
5 reasons to choose Nolan Ryan
Distinguish the two claims
Wrongful death and survival claims address different losses and may involve different people. Nolan explains those distinctions in light of your family's actual circumstances.
Take insurer questions together
Nolan reviews what insurers have said and the information already available, connecting those conversations to the evidence rather than leaving the family to evaluate each call alone.
Preserve the relevant incident records
A fatal crash and a workplace death require different evidence. Nolan seeks relevant vehicle, witness or site records based on what happened in the individual case.
Review the people who may act
Family relationships and estate involvement can affect who brings a claim. Nolan considers those facts before explaining the available next steps or necessary documentation.
Recent Victories
Proven Case Results
Case results are gross settlement amounts from past Nolan Ryan Law cases and depend on the facts of each case. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
$10 Million
Major 18 Wheeler Accident Settlement
$12 Million
Construction Accident and Wrongful Death Settlement
$1.5 Million
Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement
$1,150,000
Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement
Pre-suit Offer: $0
$775,000
Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement
$2,100,000
Motorcycle Accident Settlement
Pre-suit Offer: $0
Personal Injury Cases we handle
If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you need a team that acts fast and fights hard. Nolan Ryan Law has a strong record of securing significant settlements and verdicts for injured Texans.
We pursue the full compensation you deserve so you can focus on healing while we handle the fight.
Call Us Now
Talk with Nolan Ryan Law about the incident, the records available and your questions. The consultation is free. Fees and case expenses are explained in a written agreement.
- Start with what you know — incident details and report number, if available
- Discuss your questions — evidence, responsibility and possible coverage
- Understand the next steps — consultation and written agreement
- Meet by phone or video — Dallas office meetings by appointment
- Clear expectations — an inquiry does not create an attorney–client relationship
100% Free Case Evaluation
Share the city, what happened and your contact details for follow-up. Start with the information you have.
Testimonials
What Real clients say
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in Texas?
The surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died (Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.004). Any of them may sue for the benefit of all.
If none of them files within three months of the death, the executor or administrator of the estate must file unless all of them ask that it not.
What is a survival claim?
Separate from the family's wrongful death claim, the injured person's own claim does not end at death. It passes to the estate and heirs (Section 71.021) and can include the person's medical expenses and pain and suffering before death, and often funeral expenses.
How long does a family have to file?
A wrongful-death lawsuit generally has two years from death, subject to exceptions. A survival claim follows its own accrual and tolling rules; death does not automatically restart that clock. If a government body may be responsible, a written-notice deadline may be six months or shorter, and immunity rules must be reviewed.
Are punitive damages available in a Texas wrongful death case?
Exemplary damages may be available when death was caused by a willful act or omission or gross negligence, subject to clear-and-convincing proof and other Texas requirements.
Eligibility depends on the claim; covered-employer workplace-death cases have narrower beneficiary rules. Texas generally caps exemplary damages, with specified statutory exceptions.
What damages can a family recover?
Wrongful death damages can include lost financial support, lost services and advice, loss of companionship and society, and mental anguish. Survival damages and exemplary damages are claimed separately.
Does fault matter in a wrongful death case?
In an ordinary Texas negligence-based wrongful-death lawsuit, proportionate responsibility rules apply, so damages can be reduced by the deceased person's share of fault and barred if it was more than 50%.
Can we file a civil case while criminal charges are pending?
Yes. A criminal case and a wrongful death claim are separate. The civil claim uses a lower standard of proof, and it can move forward whether or not there is a conviction. Evidence from the criminal case, such as reports and testimony, can still matter, so Nolan tracks both.
What if our loved one died days or weeks after the crash?
The family may still bring both claims. The survival claim can include the medical care and pain your loved one went through before passing. For the wrongful death claim, the two-year deadline generally runs from the date of death, though exceptions exist.
Where we help: we represent injured people across Dallas-Fort Worth, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Irving, Garland, Grand Prairie, Mesquite and the other communities we serve. Meet attorney Nolan Ryan McConville.