According to a report from the Nevada Highway Patrol, a Carson City man died following a crash on Interstate 580. The motorcycle operator was the only casualty of the single-vehicle collision which took place after he lost control of his 1998 Honda and was ejected from the bike.
SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASHES AND PERSONAL INJURY ISSUES
Many people assume that if there is only one vehicle involved in a crash that there cannot be any personal injury issues in the matter. That is not true; actually, single-vehicle crashes are often the basis for personal injury claims if there is liability on the part of another party. The confusion over this matter probably comes from the fact that the vast majority of personal injury car accident lawsuits spring from the liability of another driver. However, single-vehicle accidents can also be the basis for personal injury claims. In order to file a personal injury lawsuit, the victim must show that someone else was responsible for the injuries sustained. Here are a few examples of cases in which a single-vehicle crash might still be the basis of a personal injury lawsuit:
- A motorcycle rider skids and suffers injuries due to something spilled in the road by a truck ahead of him or her. The truck driver or trucking company may have liability for this type of accident.
- The driver of a car goes off the road and hits a tree due to the actions of another driver in cutting off the victim. While there is no actual impact between the cars, the driver who caused the crash may still be liable.
- A truck driver is injured after a single-vehicle crash because the truck was not repaired properly and his brakes failed. The mechanic who performed the repair, the company that made the defective brakes or both could have liability in such an accident.
Clearly, the fact that an accident involves only one vehicle is not a reason to assume that the victim cannot collect damages.
PROVING LIABILITY IN A SINGLE-CAR CRASH
What may be different about a personal injury lawsuit involving only one vehicle is the amount of work it takes to establish liability. If a driver runs a red light and crashes into another car, it is relatively easy to establish liability. On the other hand, a motorcyclist who suffers an accident on a darkened road may not even be aware that someone else was responsible. It is important to talk to a personal injury attorney like those at High Stakes Injury Law before making any decisions about your case. Contact them today for more information.