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
Commercial Truck Accidents
While it may not seem like it, there are bigger differences when dealing with a truck accident than just the size of the vehicle. Although they are well insured, companies with commercial trucks will fire back at you with a whole legal team to avoid paying out for damage, injury, or even death. This is […]
Types of Damages in a Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycles are an easy, exhilarating way to get around. No getting stuck in traffic and you can hit the gas pedal to the max. Exciting, right? Well, here’s the catch; although exciting, motorcycles are incredibly dangerous. A report by the Insurance Information Institute shows motorcyclists are usually 27 times more likely to lose their lives […]
Cell Phones and Accidents on the Road
We have all done it. Even with the headsets, the hands-free devices, and the ability to connect your phone to your car, all of us have reached for the phone while driving. Whether it’s checking a quick text at a stoplight or messing around with your maps app while driving in a new place, the […]
Driving Tips for Warm Weather
As winter thaws and we move into spring and summer, the roads will soon begin filling up with road-trippers and people moving cross country. The more cars on the road, and the more freedom we have in that nice, warm weather, the more risk we’re at of some kind of accident. Here are a few […]
Stay Safe in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
In the history of cars, hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles are still essentially brand-new. With new technology comes a new way to look at transportation. This includes an eye toward safety – anything new in automobiles is going to require a new understanding of how they work, what the dangers are, and how to maintain […]
Five Safety Products for Motorcycle Riders
Approximately ten percent of motor vehicle deaths in the United States can be attributed to motorcycleaccidents. Safe riding and defensive driving are important to all motor vehicle operations, of course, but making sure you’re stocked up on the right equipment to make your ride as safe as possible is critical to avoiding accidents or, in […]
Motorcycle Safety Tips for Cold Weather
Driving any vehicle in cold weather and especially snow is going to make for a much more difficult time than driving in dry, comfortable weather. With enough preparation and all of the right gear, it is possible to mitigate many of these problems, but without them, you run the risk of a deadly accident. Before […]
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 […]
Bicycle Safety Tips
Bicycling might be the true essence of freedom in transportation. No dependence on anyone to get around except yourself, no motor to make you drive out of control, and you can park your bike just about anywhere. Still, safety while riding a bicycle is just as important as with any other mode of transportation, especially […]
Personal Injury Lawsuits: What You Need to Know and how RS Law Office Can Help
Life is pretty unpredictable. One minute you’re healthy and bubbly, the next one you are nursing an injury due to someone else’s negligence. But the fact that life is unpredictable does not in any way reduce the pain and confusion that may arise when you find yourself in harm’s way due to another person’s negligence. […]
contact form
