Texas Accident & Injury News
Who pays for your damaged vehicle in a police pursuit?
Man Arrested After Attempting to Evade Officers, Crashing Into Van
According to a KSAT News report, a man was arrested last month after attempting to evade New Braunfels police in a high-speed chase.
Police reported noticing a suspicious vehicle spray-painted white when its original color was red on September 26, 2023. The man fled as soon as he noticed the officers on the 4100 block of Northeast Loop 410 southbound, near I-35 and Space Center Drive. The driver hit a spike strip, lost a tire, and crashed into a van before attempting to escape on foot. The man was captured and arrested, his passenger was injured, and the van driver was taken to the hospital by an ambulance with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Did You Know?
Texas is the 2nd most deadly State for police pursuits, with 762 deaths in 19 years.
Who Pays for Vehicle Damage in Police Pursuit Accidents in New Braunfels?
Most officers who engage in high-speed pursuits are more skilled than the average driver in New Braunfels, and for good reason — high-speed pursuits, though sometimes necessary, are incredibly dangerous for other drivers on the road.
Who pays for the damage if your car gets caught in the middle of a police pursuit in New Braunfels? Well, it depends. Let’s take a look at how the law compensates innocent bystanders in New Braunfels.
Determining Fault
It can be difficult to figure out who is responsible for the damage to your vehicle in a high-speed pursuit. There can be multiple scenarios to consider, such as:
- The Suspect Damaged Your Vehicle — The suspect’s negligent driving would make them responsible for damages to your vehicle and emotional distress or injury. You could file a claim with their insurance or a lawsuit if necessary. But, this would not be possible if the suspect was driving a stolen vehicle, which is frequently the case.
- The Officer Damaged Your Vehicle — Officers have the ability to break traffic rules to apprehend a dangerous suspect. However, high-speed chases have rules that officers must follow. If they break these rules, they could be held responsible for putting you in unreasonable danger. Or, the municipality could be responsible if proper training and procedures were not implemented to safeguard innocent citizens.
A personal injury attorney can review your case to determine which or how many parties could be held responsible for the property damage to your vehicle.
Compensation
Compensation for property damage after a high-speed chase can come from multiple places, including:
- Your Insurance — Your underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you if your vehicle was damaged by a stolen vehicle.
- Police Department Settlement — Officers in Texas have a damage cap of $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
- The Suspect’s Insurance — If the suspect is insured, there are no damage caps for private citizens.
- A Lawsuit — If either party refuses to pay, you may be able to collect damages from a property damage lawsuit.
Citizens should not suffer harm when police chase a suspect. If your property was damaged in a police chase, you have options to recover.
Carabin Shaw Personal Injury Attorneys in New Braunfels
Our firm has been representing the interests of those injured in auto accidents for 30 years. Contact our team today at 800-862-1260 to discover your options for recovery for free. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw Attorney does not obligate you to work with the firm and is free of charge.