If external factors were to blame for your ac cident, the particularities of your situation can greatly influence the outcome or even the course of action you should take.
Are you the victim of a car accident? Then the law says, depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation for covering the medical bills for your injuries, paying for any damages, or even accounting for any days you might need to miss from work.
The matters are fairly simple if the collision involved two vehicles, meaning two drivers. The driver who is at-fault is generally liable for damages.
However, you may wonder, what happens if the at-fault party isn’t another driver, but an external factor.
What Does the Law Say?
According to some statistics, almost 11% of total car accidents that involve fatalities are caused by bad weather, which is one of the premier examples of an external factor. When these collisions are directly linked to such an element, it can leave victims wondering if they have any chances of being compensated for their injuries.
The Missouri car accident compensation law only imposes rules on situations where another driver is found guilty of causing the accident. In these cases, the driver found at-fault is liable for damages, or damages are awarded based on the percentage of fault.
However, external factors may only be a cause for compensation claims if there is negligence involved, meaning if there is another party that can be held responsible for the accident. For instance, if your accident took place because you failed to respect a traffic sign which was blocked by overgrown branches, then it may be possible to ask for compensation from the institution responsible for traffic signs in the area.
However, even in these situations it can be very difficult to be awarded compensation, as you’d also have to prove that the entity knew the sign was blocked, was aware of the risk, and intentionally did nothing about it or delayed to fix it.
Insurance May Be the Best Solution
Sometimes, it’s impossible to link any party to the accident, so the victim’s only hope to get some compensation is through their insurance. Drivers in Missouri are required to carry these policies, which can protect them not just if they cause an accident, but also if they are the victims.
It is extremely difficult to tell you how accidents caused by external factors may unfold in terms of getting compensation. The truth is, the particularities of your situation can greatly influence the outcome or even the course of action you should take.
As such, if you’ve been involved in such an incident, it is highly recommended that you consider consulting with a St. Louis car accident lawyer. Based on your case, they can let you know if you may have a case against someone or are better off going the insurance route. Not only that, but they can help you negotiate better settlements in either case. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation with an car accident lawyer that has 25 years of experience.