Advancements in technology have finally made self-driving cars a reality. Given how California is a tech hub, many of these developments have taken place in cities like San Francisco, where autonomous vehicles have become an everyday sight. Yet this technology is still in development, which means mistakes and accidents happen.
Some of these mistakes have led to tragic accidents where innocent people got hurt. Thankfully, the law allows them to recover compensation for their injuries. But it usually takes the help of an autonomous vehicle accident lawyer to get this compensation.
If you or someone close has been hurt by an autonomous vehicle, Maison Law can help. Compensation usually involves dealing with insurance companies, and our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience working on settling insurance claims and negotiating with adjusters. We’re also able to litigate in court should the need arise. To discover what we can do for your case, contact us today for a no-obligation, no-cost consultation.
How California Regulates Autonomous Vehicles
The California DMV has special regulations that dictate how autonomous vehicles can operate on California’s roads. Some of these requirements include:
- Special permits for testing and deployment.
- Comprehensive testing conditions before vehicles can be used on public roads.
Failure to comply with these requirements could make it easier to recover compensation if you’re involved in an accident with an autonomous vehicle.
What To Do after an Autonomous Vehicle Crash
If you’re unfortunate enough to be in an autonomous vehicle accident, below are steps you need to take to protect your health and legal rights.
- Call 9-1-1. This is important because you want the police to come to the accident scene to gather information and prepare a police accident report. Calling 9-1-1 will also send for emergency medical help if someone’s injured.
- Collect evidence from the accident scene. If you’re not seriously injured, get as much information about what happened as possible. If there are other (human) drivers involved, get their names, contact information, and insurance information. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses, too. Take pictures of the scene, as well as any damages or road conditions. Finally, get information about the company that owned and operated the autonomous vehicle.
- Get necessary medical attention. If you’re hurt, see a doctor or appropriate healthcare professional. Even minor injuries could turn serious without early intervention. Additionally, seeing a doctor will create a medical record that can help prove your injuries and the cost to treat them.
- Talk to a personal injury lawyer. If the insurance company stalls your request for compensation, or the autonomous vehicle company denies responsibility, you may need the help of a lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
How an Autonomous Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
By hiring an autonomous vehicle accident lawyer, you can expect them to assist you by:
- Investigating the accident and helping identify liable parties and their level of responsibility.
- Identifying the need for certain pieces of evidence and how to collect and use that evidence to your advantage.
- Negotiating with insurance companies and opposing counsel on your behalf.
- Establishing liability and the legal basis for this liability.
- Handling the administrative aspects of your claim or legal action.
- Offering peace of mind and ensuring you’re not missing a key argument, fact, or deadline.
What Information Can Help Your Attorney Following an Autonomous Car Accident
If you decide to hire an attorney to handle your autonomous vehicle accident case, you’ll need to provide them with detailed information about the accident. You’ll also need to provide information about yourself and anyone else who was hurt, as this helps establish your basis for damages. Before the initial consultation, prepare to have the following information available and ready to give to the attorney:
- Your employment information including your employer, job title, dates of employment, and compensation.
- Details about the accident, including what happened and what you did (or didn’t do) before and after the accident.
- Timeline of events leading up to the accident, as well as what you did after the accident, such as getting medical treatment, communicating with insurance companies, etc.
- Names and contact information of eyewitnesses, including a description of what they say they saw.
- Your medical documentation, including medical bills and treatment plans.
- Property repair or replacement invoices or estimates (if applicable).
- Any pre-existing health or medical issues you had before the accident.
- Any personal injury lawsuits you’ve been involved in.
- Any evidence of the accident you might have, including photos, videos, and social media posts.
Suing for Autonomous Vehicle Accident Compensation
If you’re unable to obtain sufficient recovery through the insurance claims process, you may have to file a civil suit in court. One of the first steps for doing this is identifying prospective defendants.
Potential Defendants
The primary defendant will be the company that owns and operates the autonomous vehicle. If there’s a separate company that designed the vehicle, they could potentially be brought in as a defendant, too.
Recoverable Damages
A successful recovery in an autonomous vehicle accident case can involve collecting up to three categories of damages:
- Economic damages for financial costs from the accident, including lost income, medical bills, and property repair or replacement costs.
- Non-economic damages for subjective, non-compensatory damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium.
- Punitive damages, which are damages intended to punish the at-fault party instead of compensating the victim. Punitive damages aren’t usually a possibility unless the defendant acted in a particularly egregious or reckless way.
Talk to a California Autonomous Vehicle Accident Attorney From Maison Law
Accidents with autonomous vehicles aren’t the most common type of car accident, but when they happen, there are often tragic results, especially when a pedestrian is involved. If you’ve recently been hurt because an autonomous vehicle malfunctioned, don’t wait to take action against the potentially responsible company like Waymo, Tesla, Amazon, and Tesla.
The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to get the compensation you deserve. Get started today by contacting Maison Law to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
