Even if your vehicle has every possible modern safety feature installed in it, there is only so much that those features can do to mitigate the danger of a head-on collision. Because of how uniquely harmful incidents of this nature can be, it is especially important to understand and enforce your legal rights after being involved in one caused by another person’s reckless or careless actions.
Front-end car accidents in Houston can allow for substantial financial recovery through settlement negotiations or a civil court lawsuit, but you will almost certainly need professional legal guidance to ensure your case has the best possible result. With a capable auto accident lawyer at Roberts Markland LLP by your side, you could more effectively pursue the compensation you deserve for your losses.
In purely legal terms, lawsuits based on front-end car crashes in Houston work exactly the same as claims based on any other type of motor vehicle accident. In a nutshell, holding someone else liable for causing a traffic collision means proving they did something irresponsible behind the wheel that was the direct and primary cause of the accident in question.
“Negligent” behavior in this regard can be overtly illegal or just broadly irresponsible, and Texas state law does not differentiate between the two in any meaningful sense. Someone who causes a head-on crash by speeding down the wrong side of a highway could be just as liable for all ensuing damages as someone who accidentally veers off-course in a crowded parking lot.
Importantly, though, people who get hurt in these types of wrecks and file suit can be found negligent as well if they caused or worsened their own losses by their own misconduct. A court could then reduce the total amount of compensation available to that plaintiff in proportion to their share of total fault for the incident, or—in accordance with Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §33.001—bar them from recovery altogether if they hold a majority of total fault compared to all other involved parties put together.
Barring issues with “comparative fault” held against a plaintiff as noted above, a comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand following a head-on car wreck in Houston can incorporate every economic and non-economic consequence the incident has already had for the plaintiff and will have on them in the future. This may include:
However, anyone who waits longer than two years after being injured in this type of accident to begin the litigation process may be time-barred under TX Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003 from ever obtaining compensation for that particular accident, even if they sustain lifelong harm that will take years or decades to fully manifest.
Being hit head-on while driving or riding as a motor vehicle passenger can be an exceptionally traumatic experience even if you are fortunate to leave the accident scene without suffering serious physical injury. Under less fortunate circumstances, taking prompt and proactive legal action against the person responsible for your wreck could be crucial to preserving your best interests both now and well into the future.
After a front-end car accident in Houston, contacting a knowledgeable motor vehicle collision attorney should be a top priority. Call Roberts Markland LLP today to set up a case review.