It may seem like a driver’s negligence is always the cause of car accidents, however this is not the case. Many car accidents involve one vehicle with no fault to the driver.
In some personal injury lawsuits, the defendant will be a person or party who is not the driver.
If the cause of a crash is related to a defective automobile or car part, the lawsuit may be against the manufacturer of the automobile or part. Defective automobiles, defective automobile parts and faulty safety apparatuses are examples that may warrant a product liability lawsuit. If injuries are worsened by a faulty auto part, a negligent automobile manufacturer may also be liable for damages.
Meanwhile, if the crash is caused by a poorly maintained roadway, problematic road sign or government’s failure to clear away snow or cut down a tree, the city or government body in charge of the roadway or sign may be responsible. In these kinds of cases, different rules apply in a lawsuit seeking to hold a government entity accountable.
In these cases, appropriate legal advice is crucial to successfully navigating the lawsuit.
Sometimes, both a non-driver and a driver can both be liable for a crash. For this reason, it is important to look at every element of a car accident case.
Contact Merdes Law Office, P.C. to meet with our highly experienced Alaskan personal injury attorney to discuss your case: 907.452.5400 or visit www.merdes.com. And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do.
Source: FindLaw, “Car Accident Basics“
