DPS identifies victim in deadly Willacy County rollover crash

March 13, 2022

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has identified the driver who died in March 12 a one-car rollover crash. The victim is identified as 27-year-old Lorenzo Garcia Jr. of Raymondville.

According to a preliminary investigation, Garcia was traveling northbound on Lopez Road when he lost control of his vehicle, and it went into a skid. Authorities say the car veered into a ditch, and rolled over several times. Garcia was ejected from the vehicle, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Can you or your surviving family receive compensation after a car crash if no other vehicles were involved?

Whether or not you or your loved ones can receive compensation for a car crash in which no other vehicles were involved depends largely on whether the accident was your fault, or someone else’s fault.

Generally, if you are injured as a result of an accident that was your fault you will not be able to make a claim for compensation unless another person or entity was also partly to blame for the accident.

Let’s take a closer look at both scenarios.

Single-vehicle crash caused by someone else

Sometimes another driver causes a single-vehicle accident even though they’re not actually impacted in the accident. Let’s look at one hypothetical example:

Maria is driving in the left lane of a 2-lane highway. Jose is driving in the right lane of the same highway. Jose is texting while driving, and he drifts into Maria’s lane. To avoid a collision, Maria swerves to the left, and ends up crashing into a tree.

In this scenario, Maria was involved in a single-vehicle crash, but Jose’s distracted driving was the cause of the accident. Accordingly, Maria (or her family if she dies) can file an insurance claim, or a personal injury lawsuit against Jose to recover damages.

Manufacturers

Sometimes single-vehicle accidents are caused by vehicle defects. For example, a faulty electronic stability control system, or faulty tires could cause an SUV to roll over. If a single-vehicle crash is caused by a defect, the injured driver (or surviving family memebrs) can file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Property owners

Property owners have a duty to keep their properties free from dangerous conditions. For example, the city or state has a duty to maintain publicly-owned roadways. If an accident is caused by a dangerous condition on the roadway, such as crumbling asphalt or poor water drainage, the driver (or deceased’s family) may be able to sue the owner of the property for damages.

Summary

If you’re involved in a single-vehicle crash, and you don’t think the crash was your fault, it’s a good idea to sit down with an experienced personal injury attorney. The same is true for family members who have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence.

At J. Gonzalez Law Firm, our initial consultations are free, and our injury attorneys will be able to explain your recovery options. We also work on a contingency basis, meaning if we take your case you pay nothing unless and only if you win. Call us today to learn more at 1-800-CAR CRASH.