What do you do if a car crashes into your home?
Pickup Rolls Into Home, Driver Arrested
According to a KSAT12 news report, a driver was arrested last night after crashing his pickup into a house and then fleeing the scene on suspicion of a DWI.
According to the report, a man in his 30s was driving on NW 26th Street when he rolled his pickup, crashing into a home and breaking the owner’s gas line at around 11:20 p.m. He fled the scene, but police later found him in a nearby H-E-B parking lot. He was arrested for fleeing the scene and on suspicion of a DWI. CPS arrived at the home to shut off the gas, and no injuries were reported by the occupants of the home.
Did You Know?
There are more than 100 vehicle-into-building crashes every day in the United States, according to Streets Blog USA data.
Vehicle-Into-Building Crashes in Texas
Vehicle-into-building crashes are up 40% from previous estimations, and more than half of all accidents happen within 5 miles of the driver’s home. Because of this, it’s important to understand what to do if a driver crashes into your home and what legal options may be available to you and your family.
What To Do If A Car Hits Your Home
Most people aren’t expecting to see a random stranger’s car in their living room. Here’s what to do if a car hits your house in San Antonio:
- Call 911 – If anything is on fire, or if you have gas in your home, immediately contact emergency services. You will also want police officers at the scene to make a report.
- Make Sure Everyone is Safe – Check on everyone in your home (including furry friends) and make sure no one is in need of immediate medical attention.
- Get the Driver’s Information – You’ll want to gather the driver’s insurance and contact information, just like in a regular auto accident.
- Document the Crash – Take photos of the accident and any damage to your home. You should also ask neighbors and bystanders if they witnessed the accident and gather their contact information if possible.
- Secure Your Home – Contact a restoration company to temporarily board up walls and broken windows if necessary.
- Contact an Attorney
Insurance companies tend to lowball claims and not pay the full amount your case is worth. Additionally, there may be more contributing to the accident than you initially thought. In either case, contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney will greatly increase your likelihood of being fully compensated for any injury and damage to your home.
Who is Responsible to Pay Damages If a Car Hits My House?
Every accident is unique, but there are typically two main sources of compensation:
- The Driver’s Insurance – will cover damages up to the limit of their policy. However, if they are uninsured or underinsured, your homeowner’s insurance would cover the difference.
- Your Homeowner’s Insurance – covers damage from an auto accident that the driver’s insurance policy cannot pay for. However, this can lead to increased premiums and deductibles.
A Carabin Shaw auto accident attorney can research your case and find out if there is another liable party, such as other property owners, for creating obstructions.
Auto Accident Attorneys Serving San Antonio
If a driver crashed into your home in the San Antonio area, contact the auto accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw today at 800-862-1260 for your case evaluation. We have 30 years of experience representing personal injury and property damage claims across Texas, and we are dedicated to a higher level of service. Contact us today. We look forward to serving you.