San Benito man dies in fiery crash

A 32-year-old San Benito man died October 13 after crashing into a culvert where his vehicle became engulfed in flames, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release.

DPS said the crash that killed Miguel Angel Tellez Jr. happened at approximately 11:49 p.m. on FM 804 south of FM 106 in Cameron County.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Tellez, who was driving a black Dodge Nitro, was traveling southbound on FM 803 when he failed to drive in a single lane for unknown reasons and “went on a side skid crossing the northbound lane of travel and veered into a ditch.”

“The Dodge then struck a dirt culvert and overturned, landing on its side and engulfed in flames,” the release stated.

Tellez died at the scene.

Single car accidents and liability

Single-car accidents are just like other traffic accidents in the sense that there is always an underlying cause. Most of the time, the driver is found at fault for a one-vehicle accident, but sometimes the blame for these kinds of crashes can lie elsewhere.

Should that happen to you, you may have the right to recover from the responsible party. Knowing your rights after a single-vehicle accident can make all the difference if you become a victim of someone else’s negligence.

When is a driver in a single-vehicle crash not liable?

Here are a few examples of when a driver in a single-vehicle accident might not be found negligent in connection with the crash.

If your one-vehicle accident was a result of you trying to avoid a more-serious collision with a negligent or reckless driver, the crash might not be deemed to be your fault. The key challenges are to identify the other driver, determine that he/she was at fault, and finding out whether he/she was insured.

If the road on which you were driving was unsafe, such as the presence of a hazard that should have been removed, or if some other maintenance-related issue caused or contributed to your single-vehicle accident, you might be able to make a claim against the local government agency charged with the road’s upkeep. Claiming that bad road conditions caused a car accident is usually a difficult legal battle, but it is impossible.

You might also be able to escape liability for a single-vehicle accident if a vehicle defect or equipment failure played a part in causing your crash. However, the defect or failure must be sudden and unexpected. If the vehicle was subject to a recall notice, or if you allowed a known mechanical issue to get worse, then you might not have a sound legal argument.

The importance of legal advice

If you’re involved in a one-car accident, but you’re confident that the crash was not your fault, you must gather evidence as soon as possible, and report the accident to your insurance carrier. If there were any witnesses to what happened, get their contact information.

J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys can help you examine the details of your case to determine questions of liability. Even if the circumstances of the crash lead you to believe you will be considered at fault, our attorneys’ expertise can help you determine all your available options. Working with J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys as quickly as possible can help you evaluate your case, and protect your rights under Texas law.

Call today at 1-800-CAR-CRASH!

Source: https://myrgv.com/local-news/2024/10/14/san-benito-man-dies-in-fiery-crash/