Earlier this month in Fort Worth, a hit-and-run accident took the life of one man as he was riding his moped down the North Freeway, near Long Avenue. According to a report by CBS DFW, the accident occurred shortly before 3 in the morning on a Thursday.
Evidently, the moped rider was driving on the North Freeway with his “hazard” lights on when the driver of a black SUV came up from behind the moped, striking it. According to one witness, the SUV continued down the highway, dragging the moped and the rider along for several hundred feet. Eventually, the driver of the SUV pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a closed business, where he dislodged the moped from underneath his truck and continued on his way.
The driver of the moped was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Law enforcement officers are still looking for the driver responsible for this awful accident. When they find him or her, it is likely that he or she will face very serious criminal charges for what happened in the fatal accident.
Hit-and-Run Accidents in the DFW Area
Unfortunately, this is not the first, nor will it be the last, hit-and-run accident we post about on this blog. Sadly, drivers are often more concerned with what consequences they may face for getting involved in an accident than they are concerned about the lives of their fellow drivers.
However, when the law does catch up to a hit-and-run driver–and it usually does–the consequences can be extremely harsh, as they should be. Aside from the stiff fines and jail time that accompanies the hit-and-run conviction, the driver will also likely face civil charges brought by the accident victim’s family.
In Texas, the families of accident victims are permitted to bring a lawsuit against the person who negligently killed their loved one. This is called a wrongful death action. Generally, in a Texas wrongful death action, the plaintiff must be someone who is related to the deceased person in some way, usually a parent, spouse, or child.
Once the relationship element is satisfied, the plaintiffs must then prove that the defendant’s negligence is what caused their loved one’s death. In the case of a hit-and-run accident, the plaintiffs will almost certainly be able to tell the jury about the defendant’s choice to flee the scene of the accident, leaving their loved one there to perish. Of course, this urges in favor of finding the driver negligent.
Are You in Need of an Attorney?
If you have recently lost a loved one in any kind of Texas accident, you are entitled to bring a wrongful death claim against those who you believe to be responsible. In many cases, the named defendants (and their insurance companies) will fight tooth-and-nail to try and shift the blame onto your loved one, or onto some other third party. To help prevent this, contact the Law Offices of William K. Berenson and speak to a dedicated Fort Worth personal injury attorney about your case. With an attorney’s assistance you will be able to better understand what you will need to prove at trial, and how to do it. Click here, or call 817-885-8000 to schedule your free initial consultation today.
See More Blog Posts:
Justin Bieber Wasn’t DUI Or Drag Racing?, Fort Worth Injury Attorney Blog, August 14, 2014.
Injuries And Deaths At Texas Motor Speedway?, Fort Worth Injury Attorney Blog, August 13, 2014.