A man was killed when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in southeast Houston on Christmas Eve. Police did not release the identity of the victim pending an autopsy, and are asking anyone with information on the driver of the car involved in the auto-pedestrian crash to come forward.
Witnesses told police that shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Dec. 24, a man was struck by a white Mitsubishi Lancer as he walked in the 5600 block of Almeda-Genoa. They say the driver of the car fled after the crash. Authorities pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Pedestrians who are hit by moving motor vehicles are likely to sustain major injuries or be killed. The loved ones of those killed in fatal crashes may be forced to attend to complex legal and administrative matters while they are dealing with the emotional shock of their loss.
The future economic stability of loved ones and dependents could also be a concern when the person killed was a primary source of financial support. These losses could be substantial when the deceased was the parent of small children or the guardian of dependent adults.
Under Texas law, the survivors and dependents of someone killed in a hit-and-run accident are provided a process through which they may seek compensation for the losses they sustain. These losses may include actual expenses related to the tragic event as well as fair and adequate compensation for the loss of support they would have derived from the deceased. An attorney may be able to help them recoup their losses by pursuing a wrongful death claim in civil court.
Source: Houston Chron, “Police looking for driver in fatal southeast Houston hit-and-run“, Anita Hassan, December 25, 2013
