Jurisdiction Intelligence Report

Wrongful Death Case Values in Texas (2026)

Data-driven verdict and settlement analysis for Wrongful Death cases in Texas. Median outcome: $24.4M across 4 tracked cases.

Verdicts Tracked
4
Median Outcome
$24.4M
Mean Outcome
$39.7M
Range
$11.4M–$98.7M

Verdict Distribution

RangeCasesPercent
$5M+4100%

Key Valuation Factors

Defendant's degree of negligence or intentional misconductDecedent's age, earning capacity, and financial contributions to dependentsAvailability of uncapped economic damages vs. non-economic damages capPlaintiff's comparative fault percentage under modified comparative negligence ruleCorporate or institutional defendant versus individual defendant

Key Trends & Insights

Wrongful Death verdicts in Texas demonstrate significant variability, with outcomes ranging from $11.4M to $98.7M and a median of $24.4M, suggesting that case-specific facts and defendant identity play a substantial role in jury determinations. The high-profile Jean v. Guyger case ($98.7M) skews the mean considerably above the median, indicating that outlier verdicts tied to egregious or intentional conduct can dramatically elevate average outcomes. Despite Texas being a generally defense-favorable jurisdiction with a modified comparative fault threshold of 51% and a $250,000 non-economic damages cap, plaintiffs in wrongful death cases are still securing substantial awards, likely driven by economic damages such as lost earning capacity and loss of financial support that remain uncapped.

Notable Cases

Baldish Kaur, et al. v. Oncor Electric Delivery Company NTU LLC, et al. $37.5M
2024 · Business Wire

Truck driver Shamsher Singh was killed after his 18-wheeler broke down on the shoulder of I-635 West in Dallas. He had been out of his vehicle for less than a minute to inspect it when an Oncor service truck slammed into his 18-wheeler. Video evidence at trial showed that the other driver was distra

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Crane, et al v. Liberty Lane, LLC., et al. $11.4M
2024 · TopVerdict.com

TopVerdict lists this as a 2024 wrongful death verdict involving a truck/motor vehicle collision with survival action and fatal bodily injury categories. The entry indicates a two-vehicle accident and trucking claims.

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Jean v. Guyger $98.7M
2024 · Romanucci & Blandin / AAJ Top Verdicts 2024

Family of Botham Jean received $98.65M verdict ($60M punitive, $38.6M compensatory) after off-duty Dallas police officer Amber Guyger entered his apartment, mistaking it for hers, and shot and killed him. Jury found Guyger used excessive force while acting in her capacity as a police officer. One of

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Crane v. Liberty Lane LLC $11.4M
2024 · TopVerdict.com Top 100 Wrongful Death Verdicts 2024

Family received $11.4M verdict after decedent was killed in a collision with a commercial truck. Case involved two-vehicle truck vs. car accident. Attorneys James Cole and Eric T. Penn of Cole, Easley, Sciba & Williams obtained the verdict.

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