For a victim of a vehicle accident, the recovery can often be traumatic. Car accident victims may have been seriously injured, which may result in a long recovery and expensive medical bills. Even worse, the other party involved in the accident might attempt to make the victim feel badly about the accident or place blame on the victim.
Recently, a Chicago woman was injured when an individual struck her while she was riding her bicycle. Investigators believe that an off-duty police officer hit her while he was driving his truck. When the officer realized what had happened, he called 911 and gave a cryptic description of what had happened. He called 911 again a couple of minutes later with some more information. When an ambulance arrived on scene, the officer left.
The woman was transported to the hospital with several fractured bones and had to spend two days in the hospital. The officer filed a report about the incident. Authorities were able to place the off-duty officer at the scene, because in his haste to leave, his license plate had fallen off of his car. The officer faces criminal charges from this incident. The officer claims that he is not at fault for the incident; but, rather, he alleges that the woman ran a stop sign and hit the officer’s truck.
When people are involved in a car accident, it can be a very traumatic experience for all those involved. The driver who is responsible for the accident might be in shock by what has happened. The driver might also be injured. Drivers are also very concerned about their own liability in regards to the accident. Some people might accept their responsibility and assist the injured party. Still, others might panic and leave the scene or try to deny that they were at fault.
When victims are blamed for a car accident, they might begin to doubt themselves and feel as though they are not able to recover. This is not usually the case. In most states, courts assess fault in percentages. The court will look to determine who was responsible for the accident. If the court finds that both parties were at fault, the judge will seek to determine the percent at fault each person was in the accident. This does not prevent the victim from recovering but merely affects the amount of money that they recover.
The law surrounding car accidents can be very confusing. Victims are often unsure of their options and the best course of action. An experienced lawyer can help guide them through this difficult time
