Texas Wrongful Death Attorney J. Gonzalez
by Benjamin Treviño | March 21st, 2025 | Community, Wrongful Death
The Impact of wrongful death on surviving family members
The wrongful death of a beloved family member can have profound effects that are felt immediately. Intense grief, anger, and confusion are just a few of the emotions that surviving family members must deal with.
Wrongful death can also have long-term consequences that can negatively impact the family for generations. The disruption of family bonds, the long-term loss of income, and the resulting psychological trauma can take years to mend.
Understanding wrongful death
Wrongful death refers to a legal claim against a person or entity held liable for causing the death of another. Legal recourse through a wrongful death claim offers families a path to seek justice and financial compensation.
Types of damages
The damages for wrongful death claims are broken into two major categories: compensatory and non-compensatory (punitive) damages. Compensatory damages are more common, but in certain circumstances a plaintiff may get both.
Compensatory damages compensate family members for the actual loss and suffering associated with the needless death of their loved one. They include economic damages such as financial costs of survivors’ therapy, lost future income of the deceased, and other measurable losses.
Non-economic damages include compensation for the mental, emotional, and social costs of the death.
Punitive Damages are a special type of damages reserved for the most-shocking cases. They are only available when the wrongful death was caused by a willful and intentional act or omission, or by “gross negligence.”
Punitive damages are intended to punish a wrongdoer and discourage future acts of gross negligence.
Contact the J. Gonzalez Law Firm
In the wake of a wrongful death, families deserve compassionate and highly-knowledgeable legal guidance. The J. Gonzalez law Firm has helped innumerable families secure their rightful compensation, and they have held the responsible parties accountable.
If you or someone you know has been affected by wrongful death, we encourage you to reach out to our office for a free initial consultation. We will not only get you the compensation you deserve, we can also connect you with valuable resources for emotional support.
Together, we can work towards healing and rebuilding your life with the dignity and respect your loved one deserves. Contact us today via this website, or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH.
The article below from The Monitor gives an example of how the loss of a loved can impact a family for generations.
85th anniversary of the deadly 1940 Alamo train crash remembered
By: Omar Zapata (March 18, 2025)
ALAMO — The community came together last Friday to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the deadly 1940 train crash that killed nearly 30 farmworkers.
The commemoration, organized by the Alamo Lions Club, took place on the corner where the devastating crash happened at The Landmark on Tower with community members, historians and family of the victims in attendance.
On March 14, 1940, a Missouri Pacific Rail train heading west along Highway 83 from Donna to Alamo struck a truck carrying around 40 migrant farmworkers who were turning north from the highway onto Tower Road.
The crash resulted in the deaths of around 29 farmworkers, causing generational trauma for the families impacted. The farmworkers ranged from as young as 9 years old to as old as 50.
Speculation surrounds certain details of the morning crash, such as if the train blew its whistle to warn the truck or if the truck had a broken window covered with cardboard which blocked the driver’s view.
The train hit the truck, dragging it 1,200 feet, with people and limbs spread around the train tracks.
According to Monitor archives, on March 14, eyewitnesses described the scene as comparable to stories of war and destruction such as John Boeye, a McAllen service station owner who was among the first at the crash.
“It was quiet; only a soft murmur was coming from the bodies, many still moving and rolling in the dirt along the track. The bodies weren’t bloody; they looked like masses of rags, covered with dirt … One man whose body was cut in two and whose arms and head were, seemed to be trying to wiggle his fingers … As quickly as possible, I called Mr. Vickers (deputy sheriff at Edinburg) and left the scene within 45 minutes. I had all I could take. The odor of burning bodies was terrible.”
One of the guest speakers on Friday was Juan Carmona, a Donna High School social studies teacher who along with Taylor Seaver De La Fuente, a UTRGV graduate student, published a book about the crash to preserve the moment in Valley history and shed light on the struggles of farmworkers.
Co-authors Taylor Seaver De La Fuente, left, and Juan P. Carmona, right, pose in the area where a 1940 train crash resulted in the deaths of 29 farmworkers near the intersection of Tower Road and Business 83 on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Alamo. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The book is the culmination of nearly three years of research on the details of the train crash, the aftermath and how it impacted families.
In attendance was the family of Jose Ramon, the truck driver on that fateful day.
Ramon’s family is one story of pushing through tragedy into success. Former 430th state District Judge Israel Ramon Jr. is his grandson.
Israel spoke at the event, going into detail on how the death of his grandfather affected the family, his father and the resilience he got from his humble beginnings that shaped his future.
He said his grandfather had nine children, with his father being just 14 at the time of the crash and he was supposed to be on the truck that day.
“If he would have been there, we probably would not be here today,” he said. “He had to quit school at 14 … somebody had to raise all the brothers and sisters.”
Israel ended his speech by saying that thousands of people used to gather and commemorate the train crash but with time people forget about things. But, he said, the community should never forget.
Alicia and Rose Mary Ramon pause to pay their respects at the historical marker commemorating the 1940 Alamo train crash on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Alamo. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected])
“Every time I pass a train or a railroad, I still get chills,” he said.
Israel’s brother, Roberto Jose Ramon, shared his thoughts after placing a rose on the historical landmark where the tragedy took place.
“I feel grateful, I feel proud,” Roberto said. “I feel very emotional when you hear those stories told, you know, just makes you teary-eyed. Just remembering what all they went through, and what a tragedy it was but our commitment, or our part in it, was to understand that regardless of what happens in life, we have to move forward. We have to press on. We have to try and better ourselves and continue to provide a future for our children, grandchildren.”
Roberto said this is his first time attending the ceremony but he plans on making it every year from now to keep the memory of the past alive.
“It was always an emotional topic, because my dad was a very emotional type of person, and any mention of the tragedy would always be really tough on him,” he said. “So … there was other things that maybe he could have shared, but chose not to, just was too hard for him to try and bring it back to life.”
Roberto said he emphasizes the tragedy to his children to give them a better understanding of their family history, their roots and to be proud of where they came from.
