Everyone has questions when a car accident occurs, and it can be even more complicated when pets are hurt in car accidents. This is murky water that people need to get through when they have been involved in a crash, and they also need to make sure that they know how to handle these situations. Use the 7 tips below to understand how to manage liability and recover from an accident that involved pets.
1. Who Caused The Accident?
The accident could have been caused by anyone, and the first step is always going to be figuring out who caused the crash. When you work with DDRB Law Firm, a car accident law firm in Miami, you’ll be advised to make sure that you have collected as much evidence as possible. You need to prove that you did not cause the accident so that you can show that you are not liable.
2. Did A Pet Cause The Accident?
There are times when a pet actually caused the accident. A pet could have run in front of your car and you swerved to avoid them. When you crash, the owner of the pet can be held liable for the crash. This is very important because it could also happen on the road. If someone has their pet roaming free in the car, they could be held liable for the accident. These small things will make it much easier for everyone to understand how the accident occurred?
3. Was A Pet Hurt?
The insurance company could pay for damages related to medical bills for pets and people. This is very important to look for because pets could be badly hurt in these crashes. The insurance company usually covers normal medical costs, but you need to make sure that you have found all the evidence that proves that you should be compensated. This could be a big part of the process when your pet has been hurt in the accident.
4. Does The Pet Have Insurance?
Some people have pet insurance, and they should file claims through their pet insurance first. The pet insurance will continue to handle claims until they cannot cover anything more. The car insurance company or settlement will pay for the rest once insurance has handled its part of the claims process. This is also a big deal for people who have pet insurance and are not sure if they should file claims there. You need to file your claims first so that there is no confusion. You can then submit all the rest of the bills to your car insurance company or the guilty driver’s insurance for payment.
5. Do Not Talk To The Other Insurance Company
It makes much more sense to not talk to the other insurance company. These insurance companies are trying to pay as little money as possible, and they will work very hard to prove that they should not pay anything. They can try to trick drivers into saying something that could be incriminating, and it is very important that you do not talk to anyone if you do not know who they are. Let the lawyer handle this for you.
6. Do Not Complain To The Pet Owner
If a pet owner is at fault for the crash, you should not complain to them because there is nothing that they can do for you. On the one hand, you are going to be accused of harassment, and on the other hand, you are not going to get anywhere. The pet owner does not know how to help you, and they have a lawyer that has told them not to say anything. You need to let your lawyer do most of the talking so that there is no confusion about how this process is going to work. Let the lawyer talk to the other lawyers and insurance company instead. You also need to make sure that you have worked with people in the area to learn how the crash occurred. Accusing the other driver or pet owner of causing the crash does nothing.
You need to make sure that you have evidence that proves that you are right. The only way to do this is to get with the lawyer so that you can start building a case and prove that you are the one who deserves some compensation.
7. Wrongful Death
You could file for the wrongful death of the pet, but this would most likely be for the expenses incurred because you lost your pet. There is not a lot else that you can claim because this is not like a typical wrongful death suit where the person was making money and all that could be claimed. At the same time, this is a traumatic experience that needs to be managed properly. Someone who has lost a pet should reach out to a lawyer and ask what to do.
You also need to make sure that you can prove that the animal was actually killed because of the crash. You cannot come up later on and say that the pet was killed by injuries incurred in the crash several months after the fact. You need to take immediate action so that it is obvious how this is going to work.
Work With A Lawyer After An Accident Involving A Pet Today
When you have been involved in an accident that harmed or even killed a pet, you need to work with a lawyer that will handle the case for you. You should ask the lawyer to help you understand how you can be compensated for the case, or you might need the lawyer to prove that you are not guilty of causing the crash. This is a big deal because you do not want to be in a place where you will lose a pet or have to pay for these damages out of your own pocket. You should let your lawyer guide you so that you can recover and get the insurance coverage or settlement that you think is appropriate.
