On Monday, there were more than 300 North Texas accidents related to winter weather. Many of these involved injuries, and one was fatal.
At 4:30 a.m. on the Bush Turnpike in Carrollton, Texas, a driver lost control of his Mitsubishi Montero, crashing into the back of an 18-wheeler that had pulled onto the shoulder to avoid another 18-wheeler that had jackknifed. The Montero driver died at the scene of the accident.
Accident victims involved in bad weather accidents often wonder who is liable for the damages. Can they recover compensation when the accident was caused at least in part by poor weather conditions? The answer is very often – YES.
Determining Liability in Bad Weather Wrecks
While weather is often a contributing factor to accidents, particularly when there is ice or sleet on the roads, it is typically not the only factor and not necessarily the primary cause. In fact, most winter accidents are caused because other drivers were not taking the proper precautions while driving in icy weather.
When investigating a car accident claim under these circumstances, Houston car accident attorneys at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers will ask questions such as:
- Was the other driver speeding, following too closely, or otherwise driving recklessly?
- Was the other driver distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Were the roadways clear of obstacles?
- Did poor road design contribute to the dangerous conditions?
- Did any parts of any of the vehicles involves malfunction because because of poor design or other defect?
Once the cause of the accident is determined, our accident attorneys can then identify who the liable parties are and make sure they are held accountable for the injuries and damages that resulted from their negligence.
Get help with your Texas car or truck accident today by calling personal injury attorney Jonathan Harris at (713) 364-0723.