Tyler, TX — A man was hospitalized after being hit with a car in Tyler, Texas, on Saturday, December 13, 2014. The accident took place at the intersection of South Vine and 2nd Street, around 6:45 in the evening.
Police say that a woman was traveling along South Vine when she hit a man riding in an electric wheelchair and attempting to cross the street. Emergency workers transported the man to East Texas Medical Center. He suffered serious injuries but officials said they were not life-threatening. His name has not been released.
Further investigating revealed that the pedestrian was not crossing the street in a crosswalk. The driver of the vehicle was not hurt and police have not cited her, saying she is not at fault for the accident.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Many times, accidents like this come down to a matter of timing. How much time did the driver have to react to the pedestrian? If the driver had time to stop but didn’t, then they can be held liable for the accident, even if the police don’t press any criminal charges. Police are looking to see if any laws were broken — that’s the criminal side of an accident. If someone did something wrong — at least in the eyes of a plaintiff — they can still have civil charges brought against them. In the case of traffic accidents, that part is always going to be left up to the victim to pursue. Even if the police did find someone liable for an accident, that doesn’t constitute a legal obligation to “make things right” with an injured party.
— Grossman Law Offices
