Personal injury attorney in Edcouch

J. Gonzalez

Death of tort defendant

If a personal injury defendant dies in a Texas car crash, the plaintiff can still pursue a lawsuit, but they must file the claim against the deceased defendant’s estate. That means the legal action would proceed against the personal representative of the estate instead of the deceased individual directly. This requires a formal substitution of parties in court to replace the defendant with their estate representative.

In Texas, immediate family includes the spouse, children, or parent of the victim.

Key points:

When naming an estate as defendant:

• It is up to the plaintiff ensure the lawsuit names the estate as the defendant
• The plaintiff must also identify and serve the legal documents on the executor or personal representative of the estate.

While the defendant’s death may cause a delay, it usually does not stop the lawsuit from moving forward. Depending on the jurisdiction, there may be specific procedures to follow when substituting the deceased defendant with their estate.

Contact J. Gonzalez

Wrongful death lawsuits can carry legal complexities that are best handled by having the very best personal injury attorney on your side.

J. Gonzalez and his team of expert personal injury lawyers have years of experience of winning even the most-complicated lawsuits imaginable. The have helped recover millions of dollars in settlements for families who were trying to heal following the death of a family loved one. Contact us today via this website, or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH.

19-year-old Edcouch man dies in crash

By: Benjamin Treviño

HIDALGO COUNTY – A 19-year-old Edcouch man died February 28 in a two-vehicle crash just outside of Edinburg.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release that the crash occurred at around 11:54 p.m. at the intersection of Farm-to-Market Road 2812 and Uresti Road.

The DPS news release states that a 2006 Cadillac CTS was traveling east on FM 2812 and “failed to maintain a single lane.” The report states that the Cadillac collided with a GMC Denali heading west on FM 2812.

“The driver of the Cadillac … drove onto the opposite lane of travel and collided with the GMC,” DPS said. “The driver of the GMC was transported to (DHR Health) in Edinburg.”

DPS identified the victim as Steve Lee Castillo, 19, of Edcouch, adding that he died due to his injuries at the scene.

DPS had not completed its investigation of the crash as of this writing.

Source: https://myrgv.com/local-news/2025/03/01/19-year-old-edcouch-man-killed-in-crash-on-fm-2812/