A Closer Look at the Recent ER Lobby Crash Case in Austin and What It Means for Texans
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we focus exclusively on medical malpractice and catastrophic injury cases, and we’ve seen firsthand how devastating the consequences of medical negligence can be. But what happens when the legal system, meant to protect patients, utilizes legal loopholes to limit their rights instead?
A recent case involving an Austin-area hospital has brought this troubling question into the spotlight. A young family was sitting in the ER lobby when a drunk driver crashed through the doors, injuring the mother, father, and two toddlers. The driver died at the scene. The mother, who had been seen earlier by ER staff but was no longer receiving treatment at the time of the crash, suffered the most severe injuries and spent a month in the hospital.
What might seem like a clear case of general negligence—a failure to protect people in a public space—has taken an unexpected legal turn. Attorneys for the hospital are attempting to categorize the mother’s injuries as a result of medical malpractice, simply because she had been a patient that day. The hospital’s motion seeks to limit their potential financial responsibility by invoking Texas’s strict caps on non-economic damages in medical liability cases.
This motion would not apply to the rest of the family, only to the mother, highlighting the absurdity of the argument. If the court agrees, she could receive less compensation than a visitor in the same room who had never been seen by hospital staff.
As Kay Van Wey shared in a recent interview with KXAN: “Any reasonable human being would step back from this and say: This is a legal absurdity. The law wasn’t intended for this purpose.”
Medical Malpractice vs. General Negligence
Medical malpractice is defined by a breach in the standard of medical care—something that goes wrong during the course of diagnosis or treatment. General negligence, on the other hand, refers to harm caused by failure to exercise reasonable care in everyday settings. In this case, no medical act or omission caused the crash. Yet, the hospital is seeking the protections of malpractice laws.
By attempting to reframe this tragedy as a medical malpractice case, the hospital may reduce their financial exposure. But at what cost? If successful, this argument could set a precedent where simply being on a hospital premises after receiving care could impact your legal rights—even when the harm you suffer has nothing to do with the medical treatment itself.
Why This Matters
This case is an extreme example of how existing laws in Texas can be interpreted in ways that favor institutions over individuals. It exposes the vast power and privilege hospitals often hold in medical liability cases.
Kay Van Wey called the legal maneuver a “complete perversion” of the law and emphasized that it reflects a broader trend: institutions using legal technicalities to avoid accountability.
“They’re doing what lawyers do,” she said. “They’re trying to work the loophole. They’re representing their clients.”
And while that may be their job, it’s our job to stand with patients and point out the loopholes that allow these massive institutions to skirt accountability.
Our Commitment to Patients
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we believe the law should protect the injured—not work against them. Our mission is not just to pursue justice for our clients, but to challenge systemic issues that jeopardize patient rights.
This case is a reminder of why we do what we do. We support the family at the center of this tragedy, and we will continue to speak out against tactics that undermine the public’s trust in healthcare institutions.
As always, if you or someone you love has suffered due to a preventable medical error or injury, we are here to help. We are committed to fighting for accountability, fairness, and above all, justice.