Texas highways are notorious for accidents. Many of them take place when drivers merge onto a highway or when lanes merge on the highway itself. These merging accidents and the injuries they cause are usually due to poor driving decisions by drivers.
If you have been the victim of a merging accident and were hit through no fault of your own, you may be able to claim compensation with the help of a personal injury attorney.
I-610 in Texas
I-610, aka ‘The Loop,’ is a stretch of interstate that forms a circle around the inner city part of Houston in Texas. There are in fact two other Beltways that have been built in Houston to carry the huge amounts of traffic that enter and pass through the city.
It is an unusual interstate as it does not connect with any other interstate freeway at any point along its length.
The geographical sections of I-610 are referred to as North, South, West and East Loops. Within the ‘Loop’ lies the most urbanized part of Houston.
Along the length of I-610, the number of lanes changes from 8 wide through to 12 wide. This means that drivers who use the Loop must pay attention to lane changes and mergers. It is when lanes disappear and traffic is forced to merge when merging accidents are most frequent.
What to Do If Hit While Merging On I-610
You are permitted to seek damages through a personal injury claim in Texas if your share of the blame for the accident is less than 50%. The modified comparative negligence ruling allows you to collect a proportion of the compensation claimed depending on the percentage fault attributed to each party in the accident.
Texas also has a statute of limitation which prevents you from filing a claim after 2 years from the date of the injury. In practice, it is sensible to prepare a claim well before this time limit as evidence will be easier to obtain early on and witnesses will be easier to locate.
Evidence to Gather If Hit While Merging On I-610
Successful personal injury claims depend on evidence that can prove who was responsible for a crash. At the scene of the crash itself, if it is safe to do so and you are not immediately removed to hospital it may be possible to take photos and record anything useful that eye witnesses maybe able to say about the crash. The police may compile a report on the accident which will be very useful.
Other important documentation which should be submitted with the claim includes:
- medical bills;
- transport bills which are due to you being injured;
- evidence of lost earnings;
- reports which document your injuries and show that they were caused by the merging accident;
- damage report and bill from the vehicle repair facility;
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
It can be exhausting trying to sort out compensation all by yourself and you may find that the insurance adjuster working on behalf of the person who hit you denies your claim or only offers a ridiculous amount of compensation.
Most personal injury attorneys will provide a free initial consultation to discuss a possible claim and will normally defer fees until a claim is successfully negotiated on your behalf.
