Texas Criminal Negligence Laws – What You Need to Know

Criminal negligence is a term used in law to describe a situation where someone fails to exercise reasonable care, leading to harm or injury to another person. 

In Texas, this can include things like reckless driving, unsafe property conditions, or other dangerous actions. 

If someone’s negligence has caused you or a loved one to be hurt, a personal injury attorney in Dripping Springs will help you understand your options and fight for the compensation you deserve.

What is criminal negligence?

Criminal negligence happens when someone acts in a way that’s really careless. It’s when someone does something so reckless that it could seriously hurt or even kill someone else.

Texas law says criminal negligence is when a person should have known that their actions were dangerous, but they didn’t think about the risk. 

Criminal negligence vs. civil negligence

There are two types of negligence in law: criminal and civil. 

They are different in important ways. Criminal negligence is much more serious and can lead to jail time and big fines. 

Civil negligence usually means you have to pay money to someone you caused personal injury, but you don’t go to jail. Criminal negligence cases are brought by the government, while civil negligence cases are usually brought by the person who got hurt.

Examples of criminal negligence

Here are some examples of what might be considered criminal negligence in Texas:

• Leaving a young child alone in a car on a hot day. This can be very dangerous because the inside of the car can get extremely hot very quickly, which can harm or even kill the child.

• Driving way too fast in a school zone. Speeding in a school zone can put children and other pedestrians at serious risk of being hit and injured.

• Storing dangerous chemicals where kids can easily get to them. Kids might not know how dangerous these chemicals are and could get hurt if they touch or play with them.
• Not securing a vicious dog, which then attacks someone. If a known dangerous dog is not properly secured and it attacks someone, the owner could be held responsible for the injuries caused.

Criminal negligence can lead to personal injury

When someone is criminally negligent, people can get hurt. If this happens, the person who was negligent might face two problems: 

• Criminal charges from the government and 
• A civil lawsuit from the person who got hurt

For example, if someone drives drunk and hits another car, they might go to jail (criminal) and also have to pay for the other driver’s medical bills (civil). 

This means the government can punish them for breaking the law, and the injured person can ask for money to cover their injuries and damages.

If you’re accused of criminal negligence in Texas, don’t talk to the police without a lawyer. 

Talk to an Experienced Dripping Springs Injury Attorney Today

Get a lawyer who knows Texas criminal law, avoid posting about your case on social media, gather any helpful evidence, and be prepared for a long process. 

If you or a loved one is in this situation, a York Law personal injury attorney will guide you through the process and fight for your rights. Call us at (619) 233-1033 or contact us online for a free legal consultation and case review.

This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Steven Ray York who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.