No One Seriously Injured After Elderly Woman Drives Through Two Apartments

Imagine waking up on a Monday morning, putting on a pot of coffee, getting ready for your day. You’ve showered, brushed your teeth, styled your hair, and you’re calling the babysitter because it’s summer vacation for the kids. When, out of nowhere, BAM! Your living room vanishes in a cloud of sunlight, wood and sheetrock. Where once stood an entertainment center is now a gaping wound, your former wall now framing the smashed front end of a Chevrolet pickup.

Something similar happened in Northeast Austin in early June. Two families, the Mendoza’s and the Rosa’s, woke up June 5 and soon after found that their home had become the resting place of a crashed pickup truck, driven by an elderly woman. The building housed 19 people, but miraculously, none of the tenants were injured. The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The families are now left to pick up the pieces – some, literally – with some living assistance provided by the Red Cross.

 What Do I Do If Someone Crashes into My House?

If you suffer property damage from a car accident, compensation will depend on insurance as well as whether the person who caused the damage was negligent. If it can be proven that the person was negligent, that person can be held liable for any and all damages that he or she caused.

If a car crashes into your house and you are injured, your first call should be to emergency services, even if you believe you are not seriously hurt. Some injuries, like traumatic brain injury, may not manifest right away, or you may not recognize the symptoms. Afterwards:

• Take photos of all damage and injuries
• File and get a copy of the police report
• Document any emotional distress you suffer
• Keep detailed medical records
• Get quotes for property damage

Before you agree to any insurance payouts, discuss the accident with a personal injury attorney.