Most Texas parents never dream of having to bury one of their children. Unfortunately that happens way too often as a result of negligence on the part of another individual. A financial award from a wrongful death lawsuit will not return the child to the parents, but it will hold the responsible party or parties accountable for their actions. The mother of former Dallas Cowboys football player, Jerry Brown Jr., filed a wrongful death suit and has been awarded $25 million six years after her son died in a crash.
Brown and a teammate and long-time friend Josh Brent had left Beamers, a local nightclub, in Brent’s car. Once he reached 110 mph, his car flipped and Brown was killed as a result. When Brent was tested, his blood-alcohol level was found to be over twice the legal limit.
Two years later, Brent spent six months in jail and is still serving a 10-year probation period after being convicted of intoxication manslaughter. He still works for the Cowboy organization as a scouting intern. A judge has ordered Brent and the management company who owned the nightclub, which has since gone out of business, to pay 48 percent of the financial award.
Not every wrongful death lawsuit will end with such a large award. There are many factors that go into a decision for financial recovery and each case is different. An attorney in Texas who has experience with this type of litigation can discuss the legal elements with a client interested in pursuing compensation over a death caused by the negligent or reckless conduct of another.