How To Hold A Pet Owner Responsible For Your Car Accident

Many car accidents every year are caused by animals. This could include wild animals that run out in front of a vehicle or someone else's pet might be involved. While it's not possible to take legal action against an animal for a car accident, there are some cases where the owner of the animal may be at fault for the accident.

Take Pictures of the Animal Involved

After the accident one of the first things you'll want to do is take pictures of the animal involved in the crash. Also, if anyone comes forward as the owner of the dog, try to obtain their name and contact information.

One circumstance where an animal might be involved is when a driver swerves to avoid an animal, such as a pet dog. By doing so, they might lose control of their car and hit your vehicle. The owner of the pet could be liable for the accident. You might be able to successfully argue in court that the pet owner should have had the dog on a leash or should have kept the dog in a secured fence.

Identify the Owner

One of the first steps when taking legal action is to identify the owner of the pet. In some cases, this is easy because the pet might live in a nearby home. However, if the dog and its owner were on a trip, you might find it more difficult to identify the dog's owner. Fortunately, auto accident attorney services are skilled at digging up information and locating individuals relevant to your case.

Consider Taking Legal Action

If you are able to identify the pet owner, there are two possible parties who could be at fault for the accident. For example, your legal case might end up being about whether the fence created for the dog was secure enough. Or, the case could be about whether the actions taken by the motorist were reasonable. 

In some cases, the accident case might turn into your word against theirs. You will want to speak with any witnesses who observed the accident and exchange contact information so that you can speak with them in the future. Then, the next step is to speak with an auto accident attorney. Your auto accident attorney will help you win your case and maximize your compensation regardless of whether you try to settle out of court or go to trial.

For more information, contact an auto accident acttoerney in your area such as David Helfand PA.

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