According to KDFW two people were injured in a wrong-way collision on Interstate 20 in southwest Dallas Texas. The accident occurred around 3:40 a.m. Thursday January 5 when a vehicle traveling the wrong way on I-20 near Mountain Creek Parkway struck a pickup truck. The male driver of the pickup and female driver of the wrong-way vehicle were both rushed to Methodist Central Medical Center in serious condition. Sheriffs deputies continue to investigate the accident.
Site of the Accident
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Commentary
I wish I could say that wrong-way driving accidents were uncommon phenomenons in the Dallas area but unfortunately they are not. There is really no way to explain a cause to an incident like this from a news article. An explanation and subsequent liability determination can only be made through the employ of an independent investigation which would not only look into the accident scene but would also determine what factors led to a person traveling the wrong way on an interstate.
As far as remedies from the accident go the most apparent would be a personal injury claim. For a claim like this to have standing a plaintiff must prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care at the time of the accident and this duty was breached. In non-legal speak to bring a claim against a party one must prove that the obligation to operate a vehicle safely was breached by another partys actions. Though I do not speak for a jury I would venture to guess driving the wrong-way on an interstate is a breach of this obligation. A successful claim could mean the recovery of damages like medical bills or pain and suffering.
A few news feeds mention the deputies are looking into whether or not alcohol played a role in the accident. The only thing that I will say to this prospective link is that if it is proven positive other parties could be at least partially liable from the accident.
Dallas Auto Accident Attorney Michael Grossman
