If you hit an animal while driving or if another driver struck your car to avoid a collision with an animal, you may have been severely injured. You may have suffered from:
- Concussion
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
You may need to receive chiropractic treatments or physical or occupational therapy a few times weekly for several months.
The accident may have left you unable to work either temporarily or permanently.
The mounting medical bills, loss of income, physical pain, limited mobility, and fears about the future may be causing you intense emotional stress. You may have exhausted your savings and struggle to make ends meet. Worries about the future may be straining your relationships.
Car accidents caused by an animal crossing the street lawyer may be able to help you seek a financial award to compensate you for the losses you have suffered so far, plus future medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering. Please get in touch with Ben Crump Law, PLLC, at 800-713-1222 to discuss your case with a staff member.
Liability When an Animal Causes an Accident
If an animal suddenly darts into the street or a motorist rounds a corner and finds an animal standing in the road, a driver’s natural inclination is to try to avoid striking it. That is especially true if it is a large animal, such as a deer, cow, or horse. Hitting such an animal can total a car and cause severe injuries to the driver and passengers. Unfortunately, swerving to avoid a collision can injure people in other vehicles.
Figuring out who is liable for such a crash will depend on the type of animal. The law looks at accidents involving domestic animals differently than it views collisions with wild animals.
Suppose a domestic animal enters a road, and a driver hits it or swerves to avoid a collision and strikes another vehicle. In that case, the animal’s owner might be considered liable for the accident. An owner of a domestic animal has a responsibility to keep them out of roadways where they could create a hazard to others. According to the Missouri University Extension, that is true whether the animal is a pet, such as a dog or a cat, or a farm animal, such as a horse, cow, or pig. State laws may limit an owner’s liability in some circumstances.
In a collision involving a wild animal on the road, a driver who swerves to avoid the animal and hits another car may be found liable. No owner may be held responsible if an animal such as a squirrel, raccoon, or deer runs into the road and causes an accident.
How a Car Accident Caused by an Animal Crossing the Street Lawyer May Be Able to Help
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), there are about 300,000 collisions involving animals yearly.
Suppose you were hurt because you hit a domestic animal or swerved to avoid striking a trained animal and instead collided with a tree, fence, or object. You could file a personal injury lawsuit against the animal’s owner in that case. You may also be able to seek compensation from the animal’s owner if you were injured because another driver attempted to avoid a collision with a domestic animal and hit your car.
Suppose the animal did not have any identification, such as a tag, a personal injury lawyer might investigate to locate the animal’s owner. Many pet owners have microchips inserted under an animal’s skin, so it can be identified if it gets lost. If the animal that caused the accident has a microchip, that will determine the owner. An attorney may also interview witnesses and people who live in the area to find out if anyone knows the identity of the animal’s owner.
Sometimes, it needs to be clarified whether an animal is domestic or wild. For instance, dogs and cats are generally pets but sometimes strays roam a neighborhood. Interviewing people who live nearby may shed light on the animal’s status that caused the accident.
If a wild animal tried to cross the road and a driver swerved to avoid it and struck your car, the other driver may be liable for the collision. A lawyer may be able to file a lawsuit against that motorist to compensate you for your losses.
The defendant’s attorney may claim you were partly liable for the accident. For example, a lawyer may argue that you were speeding and that you could have avoided a collision if you had been driving at the speed limit. If that is true, you may still be able to recover a financial award. In many states, comparative negligence laws allow a person who suffered personal injuries to receive reduced compensation, even if that individual was partly liable for the accident.
Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney
Ben Crump Law, PLLC, has represented clients across the United States injured in various circumstances. If you were hurt in an accident involving an animal on the road, we could obtain compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. You will only have to pay us if we secure a financial award for you.
Statutes of limitations require victims of personal injuries to file a lawsuit within a specific period. That amount of time varies from state to state. Car accidents caused by an animal crossing the street lawyer with experience handling cases in your state can explain the statute of limitations and other relevant laws. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at 800-713-1222 to talk to a team member.
