It can be difficult to tackle issue of car accident liability in the immediate aftermath of a collision in The Woodlands. Yet the damages and expenses that accident victims are often left to deal with may make having such a discussion necessary. What can be really challenging is when claims of liability are thrown between the occupants of the same vehicle. Typically, people assume that it is up to the driver to ensure the safety of all of their passengers. Yet drivers may just as easily argue that adult passengers should be tasked with seeing to their own well-being.
Assigning liability becomes especially difficult when it appears that the actions of all involved could have potentially contributed to the outcome of an accident. This was on full display in a recent accident that occurred in Fort Worth, where a woman was killed when the vehicle she was traveling in collided with a highway barrier. The driver of the vehicle (whose relationship with the woman was not reported) survived the accident (though he did require treatment at a local hospital).
Authorities reported that neither occupant was wearing a seat belt when the accident occurred. However, the driver was later arrested for intoxication manslaughter.
Some might say that in cases such as this, responsibility rests with the passenger for not choosing to wear a seat belt. Yet when a driver is reckless enough to drive intoxicated, the actions of their passengers likely pale in comparison to the risks they place said passengers in. Those hoping to hold drivers accountable for blatantly negligent actions such as this may want to start by securing the services of an experienced attorney.