4 Possible Vehicle Accident Causes You May Not Normally Consider

You may already know that vehicular accidents happen very frequently. Doubtless, you try to follow all traffic laws every time you take your car out, even for a quick grocery store or gas station run.

No matter how careful you are, though, you can get in an accident at virtually any time. Maybe someone runs a red light and hits you, or perhaps they ingested alcohol before driving. Marijuana is legal in several states now, and some people foolishly smoke it or eat an edible before they drive.

Beyond all that, though, there are some instances where you might get in an accident because something happened that you did not anticipate. If so, you might need to contact an attorney who deals specifically with car crash cases.

Let’s talk about some of the more unusual things that can cause car wrecks and what you can do if any of them occur.

A Child or Pet Runs into the Road

Let’s say you’re driving along without a care, obeying the speed limit. You’re in a residential area. The sun is shining, and you have clear visibility.

Suddenly, without warning, a dog runs out into the road ahead of you. You slam on the brakes, narrowly avoiding hitting the animal. It dashes across to the street’s other side and vanishes in some bushes, but the car behind you does not stop in time and smashes into you.

You now find yourself in a challenging situation. You will certainly need to contact an experienced car accident attorney to tell them what happened. You’ll need their advice regarding whether you can bring a lawsuit against anyone to recover the money you have to spend on car repairs.

If you can figure out the family to whom a child or pet belongs that runs into the street, you can potentially sue them in most instances. They should have kept an eye on the child or erected a fence behind which they could keep the dog. They could tie the animal up in the yard as well.

If you can’t figure out to whom the pet or child belongs, you’re not as likely to be able to recoup any financial expenditures after the accident.

A Mechanic Was Working on Your Car Recently

Let’s look at another scenario. Your car has been making an odd plunking noise lately. You take it to a mechanic who looks it over, and they say they’ve figured out what’s causing it. They make some adjustments that they say will solve the issue.

The afternoon after you pick up the car, you’re driving it home. When you come to a four-way stop and apply the brakes, suddenly, the car lurches forward. Another car hits your vehicle and injures you.

You know that the car never reacted that way before, so perhaps the mechanic’s adjustment caused the problem. You can definitely hire a lawyer and look into it. If you can prove that the mechanic’s wayward repairs caused the car’s mechanical error, you can probably win a lawsuit and recover damages.

You might hold either the mechanic liable, the garage for which they work, or both.

There’s Debris in the Road

Maybe you’re driving along, and suddenly, you come upon some debris in the road. It might be car pieces from a previous wreck, some rocks or other rubble, or large, conspicuous trash items blocking your path. You try to swerve to get out of the way, and you run into a car in the lane next to you.

Now, the other driver sues you, because you injured them. They can’t return to work until they heal, so you’re looking at a potentially expensive lawsuit.

You can hire the best available attorney to defend yourself, but in this instance, you can probably successfully argue that you did not directly cause what happened. It’s true you drove the vehicle that hurt the person suing you, but you felt like you had to swerve because of the road obstruction.

It’s generally a city or township’s responsibility to keep its roadways clear. If you bring a lawsuit against the city or township and win, you can use those winnings to pay for the other driver’s medical bills.

A Commercial Vehicle Runs You Off the Road

Let’s look at one last instance where something unexpected causes an accident. You’re in your car, and you’re getting ready to head in to work. You’re accelerating as you cruise down an access road, about to get onto the highway.

As you try to merge, an eighteen-wheeler doesn’t let you. It plows forward, almost colliding with you. You have no choice but to steer onto the shoulder, blowing a tire as you do so.

As you collect yourself, maybe you also realize that you’ve sustained some injuries. However, you remember the truck’s license plate number, or perhaps you saw the company logo on the vehicle’s side, and you’re able to track down the particular truck that way. You might also rely on traffic cameras to determine the culprit.

If this happens, you can hire an attorney and sue the driver, the trucking company, or both. These drivers have to behave safely since they’re operating enormous vehicles. If any of them ever act recklessly in the way we’ve described, you have every right to hold them accountable.

You could argue that because commercial trucks are so much bigger than regular cars, the drivers should exercise even more care than the average motor vehicle operator. The court will probably see it that way too, and you could win a significant settlement. Maybe it will turn out that the truck driver ingested alcohol, or they let a smartphone text distract them at that critical moment.

There are numerous ways that you might get in a car accident, even if you’re super careful. If that ever happens, make sure to consult with and hire a lawyer who knows how to win these types of cases.