While they aren’t common, police chases happen. With high speeds, aggressive driving, and maneuvering, it’s possible for innocent motorists to get caught in the middle and become seriously injured. These accidents can bring catastrophic injuries, medical debt, and a lot of questions. Even minor car accidents can cause significant injuries.
According to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), around 300 persons die each year in police pursuit-related accidents. One-third of these individuals are innocent drivers and bystanders who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now, police officers have the responsibility to follow the laws just like the rest of us, but they also have the duty to protect us. If an officer is responding to an emergency, they may be justified driving over the speed limit, running red lights, or driving in other ways that violate road laws.
Police cars and on-duty officers are not covered by ordinary car insurance policies, but are instead insured by the government, so getting justice and compensation can be difficult. Therefore, the claims process to receive an insurance settlement can be complex and lengthy, but it isn’t impossible.
Our St. George car accident attorneys can help.
What should you do if you were hit during a police chase?
Call 911 to report the accident – Just as you would report an accident with another individual, you have the right and obligation to report any accidents you were involved in. Even if the officer is working in an official capacity, you are entitled to damages as a result of your accident.
- File a police report – for you medical records, insurance records and legal claims you’ll want to have a police report on file with an account of the situation and what happened. Insurance agencies use police reports to determine liability.
- Get visual documentation – Collect photos, videos and witness statements of the accident. Get images of all sides of the vehicle, debris, where in the road the car was at the time of the accident, cross streets, etc. During and immediately after vehicle accidents adrenaline is at an all-time high. But as time goes on details can change and become misremembered. Getting accounts from witnesses will help determine the events that happened with an objective perspective.
- Contact an attorney – While normally car accident victims have four years to file an accident claim, when the accident involves a government official the statute of limitations is two years in the states of Utah. Because of the complexity of the case and shortened time line, you’ll want to take action quickly.
Southern Utah has seen a number of high speed chases over the years. As mentioned previously these accidents can cause great devastation and serious injury for the parties involved and innocent motorists that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you’ve become injured due to a high speed chase the attorneys at McMullin Injury Law can help. We handle personal injury accident and insurance claims for our clients. We understand the difficulties and nuances of car accident and police chase cases. Our team will go to work for you to get you the compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations where we can discuss your case and walk you through the legal process. There is no fee unless we win your case. Don’t hesitate to call us today.
