Most Texas parents do whatever they can to keep their children safe, including when they are traveling. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to account for every eventuality and danger -- especially when it comes from another driver. The parents of three children were recently unable to protect them from another driver in a car accident that occurred on Highway 380.
The initial report regarding the accident indicates that a minivan carrying the three children was stopped at a traffic signal on the highway. A speeding pickup truck plowed into the back of the minivan. The minivan was pushed into two other vehicles before coming to rest.
Emergency medical personnel called for helicopters to take the three children to hospitals in the area. A girl, age 11 or 12, died shortly after the crash. The other two, an 8-year-old boy and a 4-year-old boy were flown to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Sadly, the older of the two boys suffered injuries that were just too severe, and he did not survive; the younger boy's condition was last reported to be critical.
The two adults suffered only minor injuries. Police say that the children were not properly restrained with seat belts or car seats at the time of the crash. The investigation is ongoing, and no one has been charged as of yet.
The parents of these children retain the right to file personal injury and wrongful death claims in the aftermath of this tragic Texas car accident. To prevail, it will be necessary to establish negligence by appropriate evidence. If the court rules that the other driver was 50 percent or more at fault, an award of damages could be made. However, if any portion of liability is attributed to the plaintiffs, any damages awarded would be reduced by that percentage.
Source: wfaa.com, "Two children die in Denton wreck", Feb. 7, 2016