Involved In An Automobile Accident? Who May Be Sued Besides The Driver
When you have been involved in an automobile accident, you may think that the only person you can sue for injuries that you may have sustained would be the driver of the vehicle. However, there are many people that may be sued, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and what the cause of the accident was. Here are a few of the various people outside of the other driver who may be sued for injuries that you may have sustained in an automobile accident that was not your fault.
The Owner of the Car
The owner of the car may be sued following a car accident, even if they were not the driver of the car. They may have higher liability if they knew the driver of the vehicle was an unsafe driver, did not have a license, or may have been impaired at the time they loaned the car to the driver.
The Car's Manufacturer
In some cases, the accident may have been caused due to a defect in the car or a specific car part. In these cases, the car's manufacturer or the manufacturer of the defective part, such as a bad tire, may be sued as a result of the accident.
The City or County
Poorly cared-for roadways, poor road design, or malfunctioning traffic signals can cause an accident. If it can be shown that the city or county should have known that the area was dangerous or in need of repair, the county, city, or state may be sued, depending on who is responsible for the roads in the area where the accident occurred.
A Physician
Physicians are being sued and held responsible if it can be shown that they were negligent in prescribing medications. If the driver was on those medications when they hit you, you may be able to sue the physician for over-prescribing medications, prescribing medications that interacted poorly together, or not letting the patient know they should not be driving while taking those medications.
A Restaurant or Bar
Lastly, if the driver who hit you was drunk, the restaurant or bar that served the driver may be held liable if they continued to serve the driver after they were obviously intoxicated or impaired. Each states has their own laws in regards to this, which are known as dram shop laws. These laws govern when you can or cannot sue the alcohol supplier for a drunk driver's car accident.
If you have been injured in an automobile accident, there may be other parties who can be held responsible for your injuries outside of the driver of the vehicle that hit you. An automobile accident attorney can help you determine who can be sued in your case, helping you to maximize the compensation you may be eligible for following an accident. Speak to attorney as soon as possible after the accident to begin the process of filing a lawsuit against all of the potentially liable parties.