Texas Wrongful Death Attorney J. Gonzalez
by Benjamin Treviño | October 23rd, 2025 | Blog, Fatal Crash, News, Personal Injury
How age impacts a wrongful death compensation
When it comes to wrongful death claims, the victim’s age can significantly affect the amount of the settlement, because age is used to estimate future lost income and support.
Lost income and earning potential
Younger victims who had a potentially lengthy career ahead of them can justify greater settlements due to their greater projected future earnings, as compared to elderly victims. A younger victim is likely to have decades of potential income ahead, which significantly increases the projected financial loss.
Dependents
The number of dependents (like a spouse and children) is also crucial. A victim who supports a family has a greater impact on their dependents’ financial stability, which can increase the settlement amount.
Health and Life Expectancy
A victim’s age and health are considered together. A younger, healthy victim has a higher life expectancy and a longer potential earning life than an elderly or unhealthy individual.
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages
Age is particularly impactful when calculating economic damages, which include lost wages and benefits. Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering before death, are also considered but are not directly tied to the victim’s age.
Exceptions
In cases involving very young children or individuals who were unusually successful, settlements can still be very high, though middle-aged victims with high incomes and dependents often lead to the largest payouts.
The J. Gonzalez Law Firm
Wrongful death cases require the kind of expert legal guidance that few law firms can offer. The J. Gonzalez Law Firm will coordinate all investigations of your loved one’s death, including gathering evidence to help prove negligence.
We will identify and interview witnesses, and we’ll serve as your representative with insurance companies and other attorneys.
The expert wrongful death attorneys at the J. Gonzalez Law Firm have the special knowledge required to calculate all of the past, current, and future losses that families can incur because of the negligent death of a loved one.
J. Gonzalez and his associates will oversee the entire legal process, negotiate a settlement on your behalf, and if necessary, they will litigate your case in court. Contact us today via this website or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH. The first consultation is free and you won’t pay a dime unless we obtain the settlement you deserve.
High school student killed in Donna expressway crash
By: Benjamin Treviño
The superintendent of South Texas Independent School District has announced that a 16-year-old student was the victim of an October 21 car crash in Donna. Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr. shared the news via a social media post the day after the crash.
The complete text of the letter to students and staff reads as follows:
STISD Family,
It is with great sadness that I share that one of our Science Academy students, Colin Feltis, passed away yesterday evening after being involved in a serious car accident. Prior to his time at the Science Academy, Colin also attended World Scholars for a couple of years.
Our hearts are with all family, friends and others who have been impacted by this tragedy. This is a great loss not only for Colin’s family, but for our entire South Texas ISD community. During this difficult time, it is of utmost importance that we come together as a district family to grieve and to support one another. In addition to our campus-based counseling staff at Science Academy and World Scholars, we have brought in additional counselors from across the district to support our students and staff members at both schools.
Please keep the Feltis family, as well as our students and staff, in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools
South Texas Independent School District
Investigation
Meanwhile, the Donna Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety were still investigating the two-vehicle crash at the time this report was compiled.
The crash happened October 21 shortly after 5:30 p.m. According to news reports and police information, a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado rear-ended a 2019 Chevrolet Cruze between Hutto Road and Main Street on the westbound lanes of the I-2 expressway in Donna.
Feltis was a passenger in the Chevrolet. He died of his injuries at a nearby hospital shortly after the crash. Two others in the same car escaped serious injury. The truck driver was not injured and as of this writing, no charges had been filed.
