Dual Fatal Wrong-Way Wreck in Sugar Land

A third person barely survived the crash, which occurred on September 2, 2024, on U.S. 90 at Gillingham Lane, just east of Eldridge Road.

Sugar Land police said a Honda Pilot was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes when the driver hit a Toyota Highlander, with two people inside, head-on. The two drivers died at the scene, and the passenger in the Highlander was taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said.

This collision is one of four fatal wrecks which occurred on Labor Day Weekend 2024 throughout Greater Houston.

First, on the Gulf Freeway feeder road near Dixie Farm Road, Houston police said a cyclist riding with traffic was hit and killed by a vehicle, which then drove off.

Less than two hours later, on the Northwest Freeway near Fairbanks North Houston, police said an 18-year-old motorcyclist was weaving in and out of traffic when he hit a car and was thrown from his bike. Police said while he was trying to get up, a second car, described as a White Jeep ran him over.

A few hours later, police said a 44-year-old man lost control of his car on the South Loop East near Telephone Road. His vehicle rolled and the man was killed, but a female passenger survived.

Car Crash Injuries

Despite recent automotive safety advances, vehicle collisions still kill or seriously injure millions of Americans every year. These injuries are especially severe in wrong-way wrecks, due to the extreme amount of force. These injuries include:

• Internal Bleeding: Exsanguination (Excessive blood loss) is often the official cause of death in a fatal car crash. The extreme motion hurls internal organs into each other. Since kidneys, the stomach, and other internal organs don’t have protective skin layers, the slightest abrasion often bleeds profusely. This bleeding is hard to detect, especially at crash scenes, and hard to stop, even at hospitals.
• Broken Bones: These injuries normally aren’t life threatening, but they’re normally permanent. Once again due to the extreme force, surgeons typically use metal parts to reconstruct shattered bones. Due to the severity of the injury, most victims permanently lose some mobility, mostly because broken hips, knees, ankles, and other joints never fully heal.
• Head Injuries: One of the most common car crash-related head injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is unrelated to trauma or motion. Instead, the extreme stress of a wreck triggers chemical changes in the brain. Head-on wrecks are especially scary and stressful, so PTSD is often deeply ingrained. The symptoms of this chemical change include flashbacks, nightmares, depression, and anger. PTSD is often fatal, mostly due to suicides.

The average injury-related medical bill exceeds $40,000. Head-on wreck medical bills are often much higher. Since many of these wrecks occur on remote, two-lane highways, emergency responders must often airlift victims to hospitals. The cost of that helicopter flight might exceed the cost of medical treatment.

A Sugar Land car accident lawyer obtains the compensation these victims need to pay these bills and move on with their lives.

Fault vs. Liability

Insurance and/or law enforcement investigators almost always conclude that the wrong-way driver was “at fault” for a wrong-way collision. But fault, like a halftime score, is a preliminary determination. Liability, the final determination, is the only conclusion that matters, just like the final score is the only one that truly counts.

A Missouri City personal injury lawyer can use one of two key legal doctrines to reverse a preliminary fault determination, at least in part.

Last clear chance is the first one. All drivers have a duty of care to avoid accidents if possible, even if another motorist drives recklessly.

This doctrine often applies in driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road crashes. Assume Stan takes an exit ramp instead of an entrance ramp and drives on the wrong side of the road. If Ollie sees Stan approaching and Ollie does nothing to avoid a crash, Ollie may be legally responsible for damages, even though he did nothing wrong.

The second one, comparative fault, is a watered-down version of last clear chance. Comparative fault could apply if Stan lost control of his car and swerved over the centerline and into Ollie’s lane. If Ollie was driving aggressively or while impaired, as is usually the case, the jury could divide fault on a percentage basis between the two drivers.

Texas is a modified comparative fault state with a 51 percent threshold. If the victim is no more than 49 percent responsible for the wreck, the tortfeasor (negligent driver) must pay a proportionate share of compensation.

The bottom line is that, if you were in a head-on or any other car wreck, always ask a Missouri City personal injury lawyer to evaluate your case. You don’t know how much compensation you may be entitled to unless you ask.

Work With a Tough-Minded Harris County Attorney

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.

Source:

abc13.com/post/2-drivers-killed-1-passenger-hurt-wrong-crash-us-90-gillingham-lane-sugar-land-police-say/15258761/