Although car accidents are pretty common on Californian roads, car crashes involving law enforcement officers are quite rare. However, this is not to mean they do not happen. A police officer might cause an accident during a police chase against a suspect, or even due to negligence. What do you do when you are injured in a car crash involving a police car? Who will be held liable? Discussed below are answers to these questions.
The issue of liability in a car accident caused by a police officer comes down to the specific situation.
If it was an emergency, the officer will not be held liable. Why? In the state of California, under Vehicle Code 21055, police officers, paramedics, and other emergency responders are allowed to drive in ways that aren’t par with traffic rules when responding to an emergency.
They may exceed the speed limit or even run red lights when responding to emergencies. That means if a police officer hits you while responding to an emergency they’ll not be held liable for the injuries and damages. However, they’ll have to prove the following:
However, this doesn’t mean police officers are above the law. If the accident is as a result of negligence, then you may file a claim against the city or the county. This is because according to California’s Vehicle Code 17000, a public entity is liable for death, injuries or property damage caused by negligent employees in the operation of any motor vehicle owned by the entity.
So, depending on the law enforcement agency in question, either the state, county or city can be held liable for the injuries and damages arising from the accident.
Here are things you should do after a police car hits you:
The first thing you should always do after any accident is assess your injuries and check to see if those you are with are okay. If you can, you should also check to see if the other driver is okay and while at it, call for emergency medical personnel.
Accidents involving police officers are quite tricky and since pictures are indisputable, ensure you take photos of the accident scene. Take pictures showing the position of the cars, traffic lights, skid marks on the road and even obstacles. These will serve as evidence should you decide to sue the state, city, or county.
Just as with a regular accident, the officers responding to the crash will generate an incident report. Ensure you request copies of all publicly available reports. Ensure you take contacts of the witnesses available, and record personal accounts from the involved.
A car crash with a regular driver is bad, but a car crash with a police officer is worse. Ensure you hire an experienced personal injury attorney with immediate effect. They’ll know what to do to ensure you get proper compensation.
If you or someone close was recently involved in a car accident with a police car, contact RS Law Office today to get professional legal assistance.
blogs
Introducing MADD
As it says on their website, “the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.” And these mothers and their supporters work tirelessly to improve policy and law-making, and they are a force to be reckoned […]
Personal Injury Law In California
In California, many individuals fall victim to wrongful diagnosis, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, dog bites, catastrophic injuries, nursing home negligence, train accidents, and pedestrian accidents due to other people’s carelessness. That is why the California personal injury law is in existence. It aims at protecting the moral and legal entitlements of those injured […]
Five Products for Increased Bicycle Safety
Bicycle accidents are unfortunately increasingly common in both California and Arizona, causing many to seek damages to compensate for their losses. Defensive driving and being aware of your surroundings are the best tools for safety, as is making sure your bicycle is properly maintained, making sure to wear a helmet, and obeying all street laws […]
5 Things Cyclists Should Do After a Bike Accident in California
Biking, especially on a highway, is a fun and an adrenaline-filled way to keep fit and explore what California has to offer. At the same time, it’s also a dangerous activity as the chances of being rear-ended by a motorist in California are pretty high. Unfortunately, when a bicycle accident happens, most cyclists often have […]
Driving on the 101
Living in California, there is a big focus on driving. With everyone rushing off to work, sitting in traffic, or getting around to see people, it can be easy to forget how much fun the open road can really be. As we swing towards the end of summer, you want to set aside some time […]
Common Causes for Tractor Trailer Accidents
There’s a good reason tractor trailers require a specialty license to operate them. They’re big, fast, heavy, and – in the wrong conditions – incredibly dangerous. It is estimated that 3.5 percent of all automobileaccidents each year involve tractor trailers. Around 4,600 of these result in some sort of fatality. This can be due to […]
Top Five Most Common Car Accidents
Despite the plethora of traffic rules and safety measures implemented, car accidents are still quite rampant in the country. According to a report on the World Health Organization website, over three million people are injured in auto-accidents yearly, while 30,000 others succumb to their injuries. As experienced car accident attorneys, we’ve handled our fair share […]
Who is Liable in a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycles provide less inherent safety than vehicles. As a result, motorcycle accidents have a greater impact on the motorcyclist than a motorist driving a car. According to the NHTSA motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die than car occupants in a crash per vehicle mile traveled. Identifying the party at fault is critical to […]
Five Types of Truck Accidents
Trucks are paramount to our country’s economy. Over 15 million trucks move across the country, transporting consumer goods from one state to another every day. But despite their essential place in our society, trucks are pretty dangerous and pose a high risk to every road user. It pays to know the different types of accidents […]
Five Things to Know About Bike Accidents in Arizona
Bicycling may be the way to go for sustainable transportation, but that’s all the more reason why anyone in Arizona should make sure to practice basic bicycle safety. Over 47 million people in the United States ride bicycles, and that number will likely increase as some urban centers move away from fossil fuels and even […]
contact form
