Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the US. You may be the best driver in the world, but that doesn’t mean you will never face an accident. The common causes of car accidents include:
- Drunk driving
- Sleep-deprived driving
- Distracted driving
- Weather conditions
- Road conditions
- Defective parts
The one thing that connects all the above reasons for car accidents is negligence. Negligence is the root of all the common causes. Punishing negligence is the best way to reduce it. And filing a personal injury claim is the best way to punish negligence.
You might need a car accident lawyer if you are injured in a car accident and looking to file a personal injury case. This is because the victim bears the burden of proof, and they must prove their case to claim compensation.
A car accident victim has the responsibility of determining and proving liability. Sometimes car accidents will not have clear liability. The accident could have been caused by a third party. In such cases, determining liability can be hard. For more advice, go to Raleigh Car accident lawyer.
Following are some instances where a third party can be held liable:
- Accident caused by defective parts
- Dram shop law
- Vehicle owner
- Government entities
- Construction crew
Accident Caused by Defective Parts
Defective parts are one of the most common causes of car accidents. If your car accident was caused due to a defective part, a third party can be held liable.
The different parties that can be held liable for a car accident caused by defective parts include:
- Car manufacturer
- Car mechanic
- Defective product manufacturer
Car and product manufacturers owe a duty of care to consumers. They have the responsibility of producing safe products. When they fail to uphold this responsibility, they can be held liable for the accident.
Similarly, car mechanics have a duty to find all the problems in the car and fix them. They must also inform the owner of any future issues that could arise. Failure to do so makes them liable for the accident.
Dram Shop Law
Dram shop law allows the victims to hold the alcohol establishment that served alcohol to the driver who caused the accident.
This may seem like a bit of a stretch. But it is not.
When an alcohol establishment serves alcohol to a person who is already visibly intoxicated, they can be held liable for the person’s actions.
This is how the Dram Shop Law works. So when the intoxicated person causes an accident, the alcohol establishment is liable.
Vehicle Owner
The vehicle owner is always responsible for accidents, regardless of whether they are driving or not. Giving your car to someone irresponsible makes you liable for the accident.
In other cases, the employer can be held liable when one of their workers causes an accident. This rule is known as vicarious liability.
Government Entities
Improper roads are another common reason for car accidents. The government and contractors are responsible for constructing good roads and maintaining them in good condition.
In such cases, government entities can be held liable for the accident.
Construction Crew
This is another rare-case scenario where a third party can be held liable for a car accident. The construction crew that is working on road construction or building construction can cause accidents.
Unsafe work methods can put the lives of car drivers in danger. When working on the road, the construction team should keep warning signs and give enough space for cars to move.
Final Thoughts
Knowing who is liable for your car accident is important when filing a car accident claim. Hope this blog post helped you learn about the potential liable parties. However, these types of blogs are just for educational purposes and are not a replacement for a lawyer. If you are a victim of an accident, seek the help of an experienced car accident lawyer.
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