Cameron County Personal Injury Attorney J. Gonzalez
by Benjamin Treviño | April 24th, 2026 | Blog, Personal Injury
Can passengers be sued for personal injury?
By: Benjamin Treviño
It rarely happens, but yes, passengers can be sued for personal injury. In order for such a suit to be successful, the injured party must be able to prove the passenger or passengers violated their Duty of Care. Additionally, the plaintiff must show that the defendants’ actions contributed to the crash.
Actions Creating Liability
A passenger can be held partially liable if they interfered with the driver’s operation of the vehicle.
Examples of such interference can include:
- Grabbing the steering wheel
- Engaging the emergency brake
- Distracting the driver with physical abuse
- Urging the driver to drive recklessly
Negligence Standard
If a passenger’s negligence causes the car to act in a way that hits a pedestrian, they could be sued by the victim. Under Texas’ comparative negligence law, a passenger’s reckless behavior can be determined to be a percentage of the cause of the crash. When this happens, they may be held financially liable for a similar portion of the damages.
If a passenger was passive and did not interfere with the driver, they are generally not liable for the actions of the driver in a hit-and-run, even if the driver flees the scene.
Contact J. Gonzalez
Seeking personal injury damages from passengers is difficult, but not unprecedented. Injured parties should seek the advice of the experts at the J. Gonzalez Law Firm.
Getting a free initial consultation can be the first step in determining if damages can be sought from someone other than the vehicle’s driver.
Victims can reach the firm 24/7 via this website or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH. Call now!
Four arrested following hit-and-run pedestrian collision
By: Benjamin Treviño
The Texas Department of Public Safety has arrested a Harlingen man and three passengers in connection with a hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian in critical condition.
The driver is identified as 26-year-old Hector Ulises Guzman-Soto. He is charged with failing to stop and render aid causing serious bodily injuries. He faces an additional charge of tampering with physical evidence.
The three passengers are identified as Valerie Rainy Alvarez (26), Viviana Clarissa Sanchez (27), and Abelardo Pena (26). They are charged with failing to report a felony with serious bodily injuries.
The arrests are tied to a hit-and-run crash that happened on March 28 at State Highway 100 and Adams Street in Laguna Heights.
The unidentified pedestrian remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition, DPS said.