To rank Austin wrongful death firms, this evidence-based 2026 list weighs their practice focus and published results, plus reviews and professional credentials.
Because Hastings Law Firm focuses on medical malpractice and publishes results, including a $19.75 million failure-to-diagnose settlement, it leads this list. Before calling, find out whether the firm handles deaths like your loved one's and which person would review the records. Start with the Texas malpractice guide if medical care was involved. For health care liability claims, specific deadlines and expert-report requirements apply.
4.752 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 52 reviews
Best for: Deaths involving medical treatment
A $19.75 million failure-to-diagnose settlement stands out among Hastings Law Firm's published results. Its site also lists a $10.7 million negligent-prescribing jury verdict and an $8 million surgical-error settlement, though those descriptions don't identify them as wrongful death cases. Founded by Tommy Hastings in 2005, the firm focuses on medical malpractice and shows wrongful death among its case areas.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the results it publishes.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.8391 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 391 reviews
Best for: Deaths involving crashes or injuries
Since 1996, Wayne Wright has operated longer than any other firm on this list with a known founding date. When its Austin office handles wrongful death, that work sits within a broader injury practice covering commercial truck crashes and medical malpractice. Across 391 Google reviews, clients often describe getting clear answers and regular updates.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.482 Google reviewsRated 4.4 out of 5 on Google from 82 reviews
Best for: Fatal hospital and surgical errors
On its site, Winckler, Harvey & McConnell, LLP describes cases where patients died after receiving medical care. When a post-operative complication arose in one case, hospital staff delayed notifying a doctor. In another account, failures with imaging left a patient quadriplegic before eventually causing her death.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Austin can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
5.0347 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 347 reviews
Best for: Families prioritizing responsive communication
When FVF Law's clients describe their cases, they repeatedly mention getting calls back and explanations of what was happening. Across 347 reviews, the firm holds a 5-star Google rating, giving those comments about communication a substantial base. Even with that rating, experience with a particular death claim isn't established.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.0384 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 384 reviews
Best for: Fatal commercial vehicle crashes
Truck and commercial vehicle cases are prominent in Treviño Law's practice areas, alongside wrongful death and medical malpractice. That makes it a relevant option for families whose loss involved a delivery vehicle or an 18-wheeler. Jaime Treviño is the listed attorney, and the firm has offices in Austin and Denver.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
When speaking with the lawyer, explain what happened and when treatment ended. Under the general Texas rule, health care liability claims have a 2-year filing deadline, with no general discovery rule. Rather than counting from when you first suspected a mistake, ask the lawyer to identify the deadline for your claim.
Review the medical records
Before proceeding, ask how the firm will read the chart and determine whether it supports a claim. If medical care was involved in the death, ask which medical opinions are needed, including whether the firm can prepare the expert report required in Texas.
File within the applicable deadline
Before the lawyer files the complaint (the document that starts the lawsuit), ask for an explanation of which filing rule applies. There's also a 10-year outer limit in Texas. If the patient was a child, the rules need separate review, especially when the child has died.
Serve the expert reports
After each defendant files an answer, Texas requires that defendant's expert report and CV within 120 days. If the requirement is missed, dismissal with prejudice and fees follow. Because defendants have separate deadlines, ask how your lawyer will track each one.
Assess resolution and possible recovery
Before deciding about a proposed settlement or trial, discuss how the medical findings affect your claim. For health care liability claims, Texas caps non-economic damages. Because an inflation-indexed cap separately limits total damages in death cases, ask your lawyer to explain what it means for your case.
Malpractice claims in Austin: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Texas
The clock startsOn the day of the treatment
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most10 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Texas
Pain and sufferingCapped at $250,000
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkServe an expert report and CV for each defendant within 120 days after that defendant's answer is filed; failure leads to dismissal with prejudice and fees.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Because Nine listed firms say they work on contingency, their lawyers take a share of any recovery but charge no lawyer's fee when a claim fails. You won't find Hastings Law Firm's contingency terms listed. For a consultation, All offer it free. Beyond the lawyer's fee, separate case expenses can cover records and medical opinions, along with court fees. When you read the firms' listed terms, they don't identify who advances expenses or who pays them if nothing is recovered. Before you sign, get those answers in writing. When requesting a written fee explanation, also ask how the firm calculates the fee and when expenses come out.
According to All ten firms, their consultation is free. Contingency work is also offered, Nine say.
What to bring to your first call
The treatment and death laid out in a brief written timeline
Hospital charts or discharge papers, if you already have them
Who the doctors were and which facilities were involved
When treatment began and when hospitalization ended
Records of related expenses, including medical bills
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
Surgical notes or imaging reports, if you have them
What you want to ask about fees and who handles your file
Questions to ask a lawyer
1When care or accidents were similar, how many death claims have you handled?
2When you review our records, who does that work and handles our file?
3When does our family's deadline to file fall?
4If our case needs medical opinions and expert reports, how will you obtain them?
5When charging fees and case expenses, how do you calculate them?
6If there's no recovery, who pays the case expenses?
7When we need updates or answers, how will we get them?
8If Texas damage caps apply, how could they affect us?
Choosing an Austin lawyer after a death
When you begin, explain what happened to your loved one. While some firms here handle fatal crashes, others also take cases involving deaths after medical treatment. If the case concerns health care liability, the Texas rules discussed here apply; they don't cover every wrongful death case. Even if you don't know whether anyone made a mistake, tell the lawyer where your loved one received care and what happened.
Ask for experience that matches the records
After reading a firm's wrongful death page as a starting point, ask whether it's handled cases involving similar treatment or accidents. Among Hastings Law Firm's published results are diagnostic and surgical cases. In its case descriptions, Winckler, Harvey & McConnell, LLP discusses deaths after hospital care. Although other firms name relevant practice areas, they don't list published results. Without sharing another client's private information, those firms can still explain the cases they've handled.
Before proceeding, ask who will read the hospital chart and whether the firm can arrange the medical review your claim needs.
Before choosing, find out who will handle your file. The founder won't necessarily be the attorney taking every call.
When arranging updates, agree on how they'll reach you and whom to contact with questions.
Before it decides whether to accept your case, what information does the firm need?
When a firm handles a health care liability claim, it must plan for each defendant's expert report and CV as well. Once that defendant files an answer, Texas requires service within 120 days. If that requirement isn't met, dismissal with prejudice and fees follow. Before accepting your medical case, the firm should explain how it prepares to meet that requirement when you ask.
Read the fee agreement slowly
According to every listed firm, the consultation is free. Although that first conversation is free, pursuing a claim isn't. Because most also say they work on contingency, the lawyer takes a fee from any recovery. When discussing expenses, ask separately about records and medical opinions, especially whether you'll owe those costs if your claim fails.
If someone promises a payout or pushes you to sign before your questions are answered, be wary. To learn about communication, reviews can help. But a death like your loved one's isn't something those reviews prove the firm has handled. Because this is general information rather than legal advice, ask a Texas lawyer to explain how the rules affect your family.
Questions people ask
Which Austin firm should I call about a death after medical treatment?
With medical malpractice as its focus, Hastings Law Firm publishes results involving diagnostic and surgical cases. While Winckler, Harvey & McConnell, LLP describes deaths following hospital care, Archuleta Law Firm lists medical malpractice involving VA and military treatment. Before choosing whom to call, compare their stated work with the treatment your loved one received. Once you've done that, ask who would review the records.
What is the Texas deadline for a medical wrongful death claim?
Under the general Texas rule, you must file a health care liability claim within 2 years of the breach or when treatment or hospitalization ended. A general discovery rule doesn't apply. Although the statute sets a 10-year outer limit as well, you shouldn't assume the filing clock begins when your loved one dies. To understand how those dates affect your family's claim, speak with a Texas lawyer.
Does the same deadline apply to a fatal car or truck crash?
If you're asking about a fatal crash, the Texas deadlines discussed here concern health care liability claims, not that accident's filing deadline. Alongside wrongful death, Wayne Wright and Treviño Law both list commercial vehicle cases. Accident claims also appear among the work several other listed firms handle. When asking which deadline applies, give the lawyer the accident date.
Can we speak to a lawyer without paying for the first call?
According to All ten listed firms, you can have a free consultation. Although Nine say they work on contingency, you won't find Hastings Law Firm's contingency terms listed. Before that conversation, ask what it covers and whether an attorney will speak with you. Before hiring the firm, ask separately about its lawyer's fee and expenses, including what medical records and opinions will cost.
What does a medical malpractice death claim need?
After each defendant files an answer, Texas requires service of that defendant's expert report and CV within 120 days. If the requirement isn't met, dismissal with prejudice and fees follow. When discussing the chart, ask what it must show. As the lawyer explains the medical review, ask how it will examine the link between the care your loved one received and their death.
Are damages capped when someone dies after medical care?
For health care liability claims, Texas places caps on non-economic damages. When a patient dies, a separate, inflation-indexed cap also limits total damages. Rather than comparing your claim with a firm's past settlement or verdict, ask for an explanation of the limit that applies to your case. What your family could recover isn't something those results can tell you. To understand how the caps affect your claimed losses, ask a Texas lawyer.
What should we do before we have all the hospital records?
When you contact a firm, share the dates and documents already in your hands. Even without the full chart, you can make that call. With a short timeline and the names of the doctors or facilities involved, ask how the lawyer would get and review the records you're missing. Because Texas has no general discovery rule for these health care liability claims, ask about the filing deadline rather than waiting until you have every record.
How do Texas rules apply when the patient was a child?
If a child is under 12, the health care liability rule allows filing until the fourteenth birthday; otherwise, the 2-year rule applies regardless of age. If the child died, that birthday rule shouldn't be assumed to set the deadline for your family. To learn which claim is involved and how the filing rules apply, ask a Texas lawyer.
How long will a medical wrongful death case take?
Although Texas has filing rules, they don't set a case's total duration. Along with filing limits, they set an expert-report deadline that runs from each defendant's answer. When you speak with the lawyer, ask what comes next and how you'll receive updates. Even if a firm publishes results or receives positive reviews, neither tells you how long your family's case will take.
Who can bring a claim when a loved one has died?
To find out who can bring a claim in your family's circumstances, ask a Texas lawyer what information shows that person's role. When you begin, explain how you're related to the person who died. Alongside damage caps, the health care liability rules discussed here address deadlines and required reports. Who may file for your particular family isn't determined by those rules.
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