Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
In a tragic set of circumstances, a newlywed couple died in Prosper, Texas after slamming into each other’s car head on.
Nicolas Cruz, age 31, and Kristina Munoz, age 26, were both employed at the same egg farm, Mahard Pullet Farm, but reportedly drove separate cars due to their different schedules. Around 10 am that morning, Cruz drove northbound on County Road 87 in his 1990 Mazda pickup truck, while Munoz drove southbound in a 1999 Saturn. Local investigators state that Cruz had reached the top of a hill when he collided with his wife, who was headed down. Although they are still trying to piece together what happened, investigators believe that Munoz drifted across the center divide into her husband’s path. They noted that County Road 87 is a very narrow, blacktop county road near the Oklahoma border, without highway markings or any central stripe to separate the two directions. Moreover, it lacks any side shoulders that could have allowed for one car to swerve and miss the other.
Neither member of the couple was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision, and there were no indications of skid marks. First responders and fire teams needed to use special tools in order to extricate Cruz and Munoz from their cars. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. Cruz and Munoz leave behind three young children, two boys and a girl. Relatives and friends in the small Texas town of Chillicothe left messages on Munoz’s Facebook page, stating that she and Cruz would always be in their hearts.
It is impossible to imagine the suffering the couple’s families must be feeling at this time. Needless to say, the circumstances are highly unusual. Too often, those injured or killed in a car accident are harmed by those they have never met. When this occurs, the family of the injured or deceased has the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit against the other party. The family would argue that the other party had a duty to other drivers and passengers on the road to use reasonable care while driving. This includes driving within the speed limit and without being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The other party breached that duty by driving unreasonably, and as a result of the breach, the victim suffered an injury. The family would seek a monetary award from the other party to cover medical bills, pain and suffering, or (if their loved one were killed) funeral costs and money for loss of consortium and other losses.
In this case, the families of the couple likely will not take any action. It just appears to be one of those tragic situations where both were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to an injury in a vehicle accident caused by another driver, you may be entitled to compensation, including medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering. The experienced San Antonio personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw may be able to help. Call our office for more information at 1-800-862-1260.
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