When a stray golf ball hits a car in Texas, who pays? |
A golfer picks up his ball marker during the final round of the Houston Open golf tournament in 2022 in Houston. Under Texas law, you can be liable for hitting a passing car only if you are negligent and breach your duty of care, causing foreseeable harm with actual damages.
Q: While playing golf, if I hit a golf ball so poorly that it hits a car passing by on a roadway, am I liable for damages to that car or the passengers in it? Could the golf course be held liable?
A: Under Texas law, you can be liable for hitting a passing car only if you are negligent and breach your duty of care, causing foreseeable harm with actual damages.
Hitting a golf ball poorly doesn't automatically amount to negligence. A bad shot is different than intentionally aiming toward the roadway. For instance, you may decide to........