Liability might depend on whether the police officer got involved in the accident while responding to an emergency or was driving negligently. Whether the officer was driving an authorized emergency vehicle or a private car. It also matters whether the police had lights and sirens on, so you should try to take note of these seemingly mundane details. But importantly, when driving you are driving yourself, never admit fault when involved in an accident with a police officer.
Your utterances at that point may hold a lot of weight, especially when the other party — a law enforcement officer — knows exactly how to use them against you. Even if the police officer might try to intimidate you, limit your words, try to say as little as possible. Of course, the police officer might try to put the blame on you. There are times when things get a little too serious, leading to fatal injuries and death of victims.
These steps must be followed in order for your claim to be successful. As soon as the accident occurs, it is imperative you find out the deadline your state has for filing a claim. Most government entities give a limited window of time to file your claim, ranging anywhere from 30 to days. When filing your notice of a claim, you need to plug in a certain amount for damages which will then set the stage for your negotiations. It is important you come up with a reasonable quote.
Going too high will make your claim less credible and could damage your potential for getting any compensation. Going too low will prevent you from asking for more later if you find out that the damages you originally thought was appropriate was not enough. It is for this reason that it is always recommended you speak with an attorney before pursuing a claim. Making the wrong step can only hurt you in the long run. An attorney can also advise you as to whether you can pursue a claim against the municipality or the individual officer.
Your attorney will fight back against efforts to paint you as responsible for the accident and will work to hold the negligent officer accountable for the accident and for your injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a police car in Montgomery, you need aggressive, experienced legal representation on your side. Contact the Montgomery, AL car accident attorneys of Stokes Stemle, LLC today to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers to discuss the details of your accident and to learn more about your legal options for seeking compensation for your injuries.
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These recoveries and testimonials are not an indication of future results. Every case is different, and regardless of what friends, family, or other individuals may say about what a case is worth, each case must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. The valuation of a case depends on the facts, the injuries, the jurisdiction, the venue, the witnesses, the parties, and the testimony, among other factors. Furthermore, no representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
Site by Consultwebs. Site Map Privacy Policy Disclaimer. Stokes Joshua C. Tap To Call Or Text. When most of us may think of police officers, firefighters and crashes, we think of them as coming to the scene to help. However, drivers of government vehicles can also be the negligent drivers causing the crashes. For victims, the fact that the vehicle is owned by a governmental agency adds an extra layer of problems when seeking the compensation that they are entitled to. The government cannot be sued for many negligent acts under the doctrine of sovereign immunity.
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