It is not common to sustain an injury from falling debris, but it does happen from time to time. Usually, these sorts of accidents happen when the weather is poor, such as during a storm or when there is an earthquake or other major natural disturbance.
There are also situations in which falling debris is caused by poor management or design. Debris may be natural, e.g. a fallen tree, or man-made, such as a power line, part of a building, a bridge or from a construction site. If someone else was to blame for the fallen debris, you may be able to obtain compensation with the help of a personal injury lawyer.
Damages Due to a Fallen Debris Accident
Fallen debris may cause a serious accident if something heavy actually falls on top of your vehicle or falls off a truck in front of you when driving. You and any other occupants in your car may be injured and it is likely that your car will be damaged, too.
If you decide to make a claim, you will need to find out whether anyone specifically was to blame. Once you have done that you can claim for damages. This would include property damage, compensation for the cost of medical treatment and lost earnings, compensation for pain and suffering and in some cases, punitive damages.
What You Could do at the Site of the Accident
Fallen debris may be from a variety of different sources, so specific actions will depend on the exact situation at the accident site and whether anyone else was around.
- The first priority at any accident site is to ensure that you and anyone else are safe and that any injuries are attended to. An ambulance may need to be called.
- The police should be called if there is any serious damage.
- The area around the fallen debris may need to be cleared so that traffic can flow. The police may call whoever is in charge of road maintenance if the road is obstructed.
- If your injuries are not so severe that you need immediate hospital treatment, you should try and find out what caused the debris to fall.
- Photographic evidence may prove to be useful later.
- Anyone who stops to give assistance could be asked to provide contact details to act as witnesses later on.
What Should Be Done After Leaving the Accident
After the accident, you will still need to actively collect evidence to support your claim.
- Make sure that any injuries are followed up with a medical assessment and treatment obtained whenever necessary. It’s no good trying to obtain compensation for medical treatment if you don’t have proof of the injuries and how much they have cost you.
- If police were called to the scene they should have compiled an accident report. This should prove useful when filing a claim.
- There may be other evidence you can obtain which can help support your claim for compensation, especially if you can determine how or why the debris fell on your car, e.g. if it came from an unsafe building or building site or an unmaintained power line or bridge.
Why You Should Contact an Attorney
Personal injury claims are never straightforward. If you have been hit by falling debris, it may prove difficult to identify who was at fault, if anyone specific was responsible. It may be that more than one party was at fault.
An experienced personal injury attorney will have dealt with cases like yours before and will know how to prepare a claim that can provide fair compensation. Use the Free Case Evaluation Form available on this page to help you choose a suitable attorney.
