Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Motorcyclist in Houston
According to witnesses, a Kia driver failed to stop at a stoplight in Houston, rear-ended a motorcycle, and fled from the scene on foot.
When officers arrived at the accident scene in the 5800 block of Mesa Drive, they found a motorcycle hit from behind by a gray Kia. The male motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said that according to witnesses, the Kia driver fled on foot right after the fatal collision.
Authorities said that the incident occurred as the motorcycle rider was heading northbound on Mesa Drive and was stopped at a light when the Kia struck him from behind. The HPD is conducting an ongoing investigation to locate the driver of the Kia and gather more details about the crash.
Motorcycle Crash Injuries
The motorcycle rider/passenger fatality rate is over thirty times higher than the enclosed vehicle driver/passenger fatality rate. Even if motorcycle victims survive, they normally sustain permanent injuries, such as:
- Head Injuries: Contrary to popular belief, the brain doesn’t fit snugly in the skull, like a hand in a glove. Instead, the brain isn’t much larger than an oversize coffee mug. As a result, when riders fall off their bikes, their brains slam against the insides of their skulls. If this impact kills brain cells, these dead cells never regenerate.
- Broken Bones: Frequently, a rider’s leg is pinned between the bike and the vehicle. So, the impact shatters the leg bone. Most of these victims experience permanent loss of mobility. They don’t regain full use of their ankles, knees, and/or hips.
- Nerve Injuries: When riders fall, they naturally extend their arms to break their falls. The extreme force severs nerves in the brachial plexus bundle. This nerve injury often causes permanent facial paralysis, a condition sometimes called Erb’s Palsy.
These injuries, especially head injuries, are often difficult to diagnose and treat. So, a Sugar Land car accident lawyer connects crash victims with doctors who focus on injury-related conditions.
Legal Options in Hit-and-Run Cases
Law enforcement investigators very rarely solve hit-and-run cases and hold these tortfeasors (negligent drivers) accountable in criminal court. That’s mostly because the burden of proof in criminal court (beyond any reasonable doubt) is so high. So, unless the driver voluntarily and legally confesses, a lack of evidence usually dooms these investigations.
However, in civil court, the burden of proof is only a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). Therefore, a Missouri City personal injury lawyer usually has enough evidence to obtain compensation for victims.
This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
If the vehicle was left at the scene, as was the case in the above story, an attorney uses the license plate number to locate the owner. It’s more likely than not that the owner was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Occasionally, a lawyer cannot track down the tortfeasor. Legal options in these cases include a UM/UIM claim. An uninsured/underinsured motorist policy pays compensation if the tortfeasor had no insurance or had insufficient insurance to cover all the victim’s damages.
UM/UIM claims often settle quickly, and on victim-friendly terms, so the insurance company can keep its paying customer happy.
Count on a Detail-Oriented Fort Bend 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. We routinely handle matters throughout Southeast Texas.
Source:
cw39.com/traffic/police-searching-for-alleged-driver-of-northeast-houston-hit-and-run-that-killed-motorcyclist/
