Police have a genuine reason for speeding and breaking normal traffic rules when responding to an emergency as do other emergency services. However, this doesn’t mean disregarding the safety of members of the public who happen to be in their path. If you were hit by a police car and were injured you may have the right to pursue a compensation claim against the police department. You will need a well prepared claim and it will certainly be an advantage to have a lawyer working on your behalf. Most personal injury lawyers will take your case if you have good grounds for filing a claim.
Police Car Crash Scenarios
It’s easy to imagine how a police car could hit you when in hot pursuit of a suspected criminal or responding to an emergency. Police car drivers have the right to disregard normal traffic rules when there is an emergency situation. That means they might be driving much faster than the vehicles around them; shoot through intersections against a red light, weave their way through lines of traffic and do other things that are potentially dangerous. Police do not have the right to endanger members of the public, so if they do hit you while attending an emergency, it can still be regarded as negligence on the part of the driver. There are also situations in which a police car may hit you when not responding to an emergency, like any normal vehicle accident. If the driver of the police car had failed to take proper care and attention, then he or she could be considered negligent.
Filing a Claim Against the Police
You will need to have good grounds to pursue a case against the police. As with other government entities, you don’t file a claim against an individual police officer, but against the department, the city or the state, depending on the jurisdiction. Governments have what is called ‘sovereign immunity’ which is supposed to prevent individuals from suing them, but in reality, even police departments can be sued if it can be proved that they were acting negligently. There may be a reduced time frame in which an intention to make a claim must be registered with the relevant police department with whatever evidence or justification you have for claiming compensation. You may get an acknowledgement of your claim, but it is rare for government departments to admit liability straight away. More likely you will have to pursue a separate personal injury claim after your initial claim has been lodged.
Will a Lawyer Take My Case?
Most personal injury lawyers will agree to discuss your case with you for free. Based on your account and their experience of similar cases, they will give an opinion about your chances of success. If they think you have a good case, then they will take your case and represent you through any negotiations that take place. Legal fees are usually waived until a settlement is reached.
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