A life was lost.
The answers matter.

Texas law identifies the surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased as wrongful death beneficiaries. One or more beneficiaries may bring the action for the benefit of all eligible beneficiaries, subject to the applicable statutory rules.

Texas's wrongful death statute identifies the surviving spouse, children, and parents as beneficiaries. Siblings are not included in that statutory beneficiary group merely because they are brothers or sisters of the deceased.

A wrongful death action seeks damages suffered by qualifying family members because of the death. A survival action generally continues a personal claim the deceased person could have pursued had the person survived, with recovery belonging to the estate rather than the wrongful death beneficiaries individually.

Depending on the facts and applicable law, damages may include lost earning capacity, care, maintenance, support, services, advice, counsel, companionship, society, mental anguish, and loss of inheritance. The available damages depend on the evidence and the beneficiary's relationship to the deceased.

A wrongful death case is a civil action. Whether a viable civil claim exists depends on the applicable civil law and evidence, and does not necessarily depend on whether criminal charges were filed.

Texas generally provides a two-year limitations period for wrongful death claims, but statutory exceptions and other circumstances can affect the deadline. Evidence can also disappear much sooner, so the applicable deadlines should be evaluated for the specific case.