Travis County, TX · Free Consultation
Bee Cave, TX Wrongful Death Lawyer
What Our Clients Say
After a fatal crash, families are often surprised to learn there may be two separate claims, not one. SMB Law, PC helps Bee Cave families understand the difference and pursue everything the law allows. A Bee Cave wrongful death lawyer knows Texas allows both a wrongful death claim and a survival claim, each recovering different losses. Shane M. Boasberg has guided Central Texas families for more than twenty years and personally pursues everything the law permits, with care.
Bee Cave’s busy TX-71 and RR-620 intersections and shopping-district traffic see serious collisions, and when the worst happens, a family faces both grief and a set of legal questions no one is ever prepared for.
Where a Bee Cave wrongful death claim is handled
Bee Cave is in Travis County, so a wrongful death suit is filed with the Travis County District Clerk at the Civil and Family Courthouse on Guadalupe Street in Austin. Most claims are resolved with the insurer before a suit becomes necessary.
Wrongful death and survival claims: two distinct cases
Texas law provides two related but separate claims after a fatal accident, and understanding both matters. The wrongful death claim belongs to the surviving spouse, children, and parents, and it compensates them for their own losses — lost support, companionship, guidance, and mental anguish. The survival claim belongs to the deceased person’s estate, and it recovers what the person themselves would have been entitled to: the physical pain and mental anguish they suffered between the injury and death, their medical expenses, and funeral and burial costs. The two claims are often pursued together but are proven differently and paid to different people. We identify and coordinate both for a Bee Cave family, so nothing the law provides is left unclaimed.
Coordinating both claims for the whole family
Because a wrongful death claim and a survival claim serve different people and recover different losses, handling them together takes care and coordination — and getting it right protects a Bee Cave family’s full recovery. We make sure the estate is properly represented for the survival claim, that the eligible family members are correctly identified for the wrongful death claim, and that the evidence supporting each is developed: the family’s losses on one side, and the medical records and proof of the person’s suffering and final expenses on the other. Managed as a whole, the two claims complement rather than complicate one another. Our role is to carry that complexity for the family, so a difficult time is not made harder by legal confusion over who may recover what.
Compassionate, experienced counsel when it matters most
A wrongful death case is never really about money — it is about accountability and about protecting a family’s future. You work directly with attorney Shane M. Boasberg, who has represented Texans for more than two decades and has been licensed by the State of Texas since 2003. He handles these cases with the care they deserve, keeps families informed at every step, and takes on the insurance company so you can focus on grieving and healing. You get a lawyer who treats your loss with respect — not a case manager reading from a script.
Working with us from Bee Cave
Our office is in downtown Austin, an easy reach from Bee Cave. We handle most consultations and case updates by phone and video, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. If travel is difficult, we can also come to you.
Why families choose SMB Law, PC
- Direct attorney access — you talk to Shane, licensed since 2003, not a call center.
- No fee unless we recover — wrongful death cases are handled on a contingency basis.
- Honest, patient guidance and transparent terms explained before you commit.
What working with us looks like
- Free, private consultation to understand your family’s situation and the law that applies.
- Investigation — we preserve evidence, obtain the reports, and identify every responsible party and insurer.
- Negotiation or court — we settle when the offer is fair and litigate when it is not.
- Resolution handled with care so your family can move forward.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a wrongful death and survival claim?
Wrongful death compensates the family for their losses; a survival claim, brought by the estate, recovers what the deceased suffered before death.
Who receives a survival claim recovery?
It belongs to the estate and passes according to the will or Texas inheritance law, rather than directly to the wrongful death beneficiaries.
Can both claims be brought at once?
Yes. They are commonly pursued together in a single case, though they are proven separately and paid to different parties.
Do I have to travel to your office from Bee Cave?
No. Our downtown Austin office is about 18 miles east via TX-71, and we handle Bee Cave wrongful death matters by phone and video.