What Happens If You Get Into An Accident And The Government Is Liable?
What do you do if you've gotten into an accident and the responsible parties are a government agency? It happens more often than you think. Police shooting at a suspect could damage your car. An ambulance could run into your vehicle. If the government has caused your damage, you're going to need an accident attorney.
Showing That the Government Is Liable
From the beginning, you need to keep complete documentation regarding your accident. This includes a list of witnesses. Consider the above example: a police shooting. It could be difficult to prove whether the police shot the bullets that damaged your car rather than a suspect that they were chasing. You may need expert evidence to prove that the government injured your property. This is something that your attorney can arrange.
These accidents don't have to be as dramatic as a police shooting. Sometimes the government can be liable for things such as roads that have been marked incorrectly or potholes that could send your vehicle skidding.
Filing In Time
In addition to an ordinary statute of limitations, most cases against the government need to be levied within a certain amount of time. After that amount of time, the government becomes immune to such claims. You'll be able to tell how long you have by contacting the applicable department directly. As it is different from department to department and state to state, you need to work quickly.
Proving Your Damages
You can't get compensation from the government unless you have specific and provable damages. This is where medical documentation often comes in, as you'll be able to show exactly how expensive your bills are and how long thy're projected to last. Intangible elements are often far more difficult to pursue compensation for. As an example, therapy costs related to an accident are difficult to get compensation for unless the costs have already been charged.
Determining Fault
Actually determining fault and pursuing compensation will often require an investigation of every party involved. If you were in a multiple car crash due to government fault, then the actions of every person will need to be investigated. This can take some time, but your law firm and your insurance company can help.
An accident attorney is absolutely critical for those who have a case against the government. Not only can the government be reluctant to pay out in full for claims, but they require that you make your claims in a very specific way.
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