If you were injured in a police chase crash, your priority, following getting the necessary medical care, should be to hire a car accident lawyer familiar with these cases. Navigating these cases and getting justice requires understanding the legal complexities, state and federal laws, and other factors that make these cases more difficult to win than a typical traffic accident case.
Typically, victims hurt in an auto accident can file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit to hold the at-fault party responsible for their injuries and damages. When the liable party is a police officer, department, or another government agency, this process may work differently. This depends on your location, the police department’s policies, and the circumstances that led to the accident.
You Should Get Started With a Police Chase Accident Lawyer Quickly
Most car accident lawyers provide free consultations and case assessments for crash victims. You will want to find a law firm that handles police chase collision claims and discuss your legal options with them as soon as your injuries are stable, and you can have a conversation with them about what happened.
It is challenging for crash victims with injuries to manage their own car accident claims when another motorist hits them in a typical collision case. Recovering fair compensation requires time, legal knowledge, resources to investigate the crash, and experience handling these claims. This difficulty is magnified when the liable party is a government agency.
The sooner you hire a police chase accident lawyer, the better. Your attorney will take over the responsibility of determining your options, building a compelling case, and understanding how the applicable laws affect your timeline and financial recovery. You can focus on your injuries and healing while they manage your case.
For a free legal consultation, call,
(888) 585-2188
Learn If the Police Chase Accident Violated Your Federal Rights
Under some circumstances, you could qualify to pursue a special type of case known as a Monell claim. This is possible if you were hurt in a police chase and your attorney uncovers evidence to show that the police department in question has policies or customs that violated your constitutional rights.
This generally occurs when departments have policies that allow officers to unnecessarily continue high-speed police pursuits regardless of the risk to public safety or do not have policies in place to address police chases at all. You will want an attorney who knows how to dig into the training and customs of the department. Working with a Monell claim lawyer ensures you have someone in your corner who knows how these claims work.
These claims are possible because of civil rights litigation from 1978 that makes it possible for individuals to use 42 U.S. Code § 1983 to hold agencies and municipalities responsible for policies that violate federal rights.
Holding a department and municipality liable in this type of case could allow you to:
- Recover compensation for your injuries
- Help enact change in policies related to high-speed pursuits
When suffering injuries in a police chase crash, you want to hire a lawyer familiar with these cases. They do not apply in all pursuit collisions, but you do not want to lose the opportunity to pursue this type of claim if you qualify.
What Compensation Is Available in a Police Chase Accident Case?
When you suffer injuries in a police chase crash, recovering compensation is typically more complex than in other collisions. However, there is often compensation available if you are able to build a robust case. This is almost impossible on your own, but with help from an attorney, you need only focus on your injuries. An attorney will determine your options, develop a case, and calculate the potential value of your case.
Your legal team will also manage the paperwork and necessary steps to recover your compensation and win your case, regardless of the approach and laws used to navigate the process.
It may be possible to recover compensation for a wide range of expenses and losses you experienced because of your accident and injuries. This could include:
Economic Damages
You can recover money for your current and future financial expenses and losses. This includes medical care, income losses, and related costs.
Non-Economic Damages
You can also seek compensation for your intangible losses. This includes your physical suffering, emotional pain, mental anguish, and other non-economic damages.
Other Remedies
If your attorney can build a compelling case to show the police chase crash violated your constitutional rights, it may be possible to compel the department to change their pursuit policies. This could deter high-speed police pursuits and stop fatal chase crashes. Many departments have now adopted no-chase policies.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
What Evidence Is Necessary to Secure a Fair Payout in a Police Chase Crash?
To recover compensation in a police chase crash, you must have strong evidence to show what happened and document the cause of the collision. It is very challenging to build a convincing case against a police officer, so you want an attorney on your side as soon as possible.
Your lawyer will take action to protect your rights and preserve evidence immediately after you hire them. The evidence to support these cases is often time sensitive. Your lawyer needs to send a spoliation letter to the other involved parties to preserve the evidence they have and identify and collect other evidence quickly.
Some types of crucial evidence common in these cases include:
- Eyewitness interviews or depositions
- Video of the crash from surveillance cameras, police dashcams, or other police cameras
- Official accident report filed by another law enforcement agency
- Accident reconstruction conducted by experts
- Accident scene survey
- Expert testimony from medical doctors, economists, and law enforcement experts
- Documentation of related expenses and losses
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Discuss Your Legal Options With Our Team Today
Jenner Law can handle your police chase crash, including identifying all possible options for pursuing compensation. We will build a solid case and seek the compensation you deserve. When feasible, we will fight to enact policy change, too. Let us assess your case today during a free consultation with our team.
Contact us now to discuss your police chase crash.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form