KHOU reports that a police chase on August 14 ended with the suspect vehicle crashing into a home. According to the report, during a high-speed chase that followed a reported robbery, the vehicle being pursued attempted to make a u-turn at high speeds. The car failed and crashed into the house.
One person ended up being pinned under the vehicle. Reports on injuries had not been released. One suspect was taken into custody.
Crimes and Negligence
While it is possible to be criminally negligent, this isn’t the question that most people would have in mind if this happened to them. When a vehicle that is being driven by a negligent driver slams into a house, whether or not it’s in the course of committing a crime, most victims would want to know what they could do about the situation.
Understanding What Negligence Is
Negligence means being reckless in a way that a normal person under the same circumstances would not be. In the case of someone being pursued by police and crashing into a house, a lawyer would definitely want to hear from that homeowner about filing a lawsuit, and there’s good reason that this is the case.
Crimes and Lawsuits
Someone having been charged with or convicted of a crime does not mean that you cannot go after them in court. In fact, if someone committed a negligent action and caused you to come to harm, being able to file a lawsuit against them to seek compensation for the damages that you suffered is among your rights.
Talking to a Lawyer
Talking to a lawyer is the first step in determining whether filing a claim for negligence would be advisable for you. You want to work with an attorney who works on contingency. This ensures that you can trust that they have no financial motivation to take a case that they know is not going to win. Under a contingency agreement, the attorney does not get paid unless they win the claim for their clients; therefore, there is no reason for them to take cases that are unlikely to win.
Speaking with an attorney is generally free, so you’ll want to set up a consultation as soon as possible. Even though you do have the right to sue someone if they committed a negligent action that brought you to harm, there are limitations on how long you do have to file a lawsuit.
When you’re moving ahead with the lawsuit, realize that these cases can take time. Your attorney will let you know what to expect and what will be involved in pursuing the lawsuit. With a good attorney at your side, you have the confidence that comes with knowing that your interests are being effectively represented.