Pickup Truck Jumps Curb, Takes Out Gas Pump
Recently, a young woman lost control of her pickup truck, causing it to jump the curb at a Valero gas station near the corner of Blanco Road and Jackson Keller Road. No one was hurt, according to law enforcement personnel, but one of the station’s gas pumps was struck and may need repair. While there is no word as of yet as to whether the woman will face charges or a lawsuit, it is important to know that if you are ever in this type of situation, a car accident does not have to involve physical injury or death to be taken seriously. If you cause property damage, you will almost always be on the proverbial hook to pay for it.
A Lawyer Is Not Usually Needed
In many cases, accidents that only do property damage (as opposed to accidents that injure people) wind up being handled by the injured person themselves, because they are considered relatively transactional and easy. In theory, a property-damage-only claim requires nothing more than a simple phone call or two to your insurance company. Texas requires drivers to have what is called 30/60/25 coverage – $30,000 in injury coverage per person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damages.
Because these matters are usually so inconsequential, most attorneys do not consider it practical to handle claims where only property damage is involved. Too often, the amounts at issue are too small to merit any fee for them. However, there are exceptions, and if your case is one of those exceptions, you may want an experienced legal professional on your side because if things get to that point, it may be too complex a case for you to handle on your own.
When Will a Lawyer Take My Case?
There are only a handful of occasions where a property damage claim will rise to the level of requiring an attorney, and they are generally the occasions where something has not gone according to plan. For example, an insurer refusing to pay you the benefits you clearly deserve is a situation to have an attorney on your side, so as to ensure that your rights are protected. This kind of conduct from an insurer is called bad faith, and it can be a struggle to get them to comply with your policy if you try to do so on your own.
Another time when an attorney may accept your case after this type of accident is when those damages are a truly enormous amount. A commercial gas pump is an expensive item, and if, say, the woman had damaged six pumps instead of one, the damages would be far beyond any property damage coverage. In these types of cases, physical injuries to the person usually happen in addition to the property damage – but nonetheless, if the damage amounts at issue are extremely large, it is simply a bad idea to try and navigate this complex area of law on your own.
Contact a New Braunfels Auto Accident Lawyer Today
For better or worse, many auto accidents in San Antonio today involve at least minor injury, but if yours only creates property damage, there are occasions where it is a good idea to consult an attorney before proceeding with seeking compensation. The skilled New Braunfels car crash lawyers at the Bettersworth Law Firm understand how confusing all this can be, and are willing to try and help guide you through the process. Contact our offices today at 888-392-0039 to schedule a free consultation.
Source:
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/01/09/sapd-driver-jumps-curb-crashes-truck-into-gas-pump/
