New Hampshire Injury Lawyer Blog
Research indicates that there is an average of 6 million car accidents in the United States, and close to 100 people die in a car accident every day. A startling 20% of these accidents involve a parked or unoccupied vehicle. Although these accidents may seem to result in less damage and injuries, many of these collisions result in fatalities. For example, earlier this month, a 30-year-old man died in a New Hampshire accident with a parked car. Reports indicate that the man was driving south on a Rochester, New Hampshire road in the early morning hours when his Jeep swerved into the northbound lane. His Jeep slammed into a parked, unoccupied sedan and rolled over. The man was transported to a local hospital and died later that morning
As the above case illustrates, New Hampshire car accidents involving parked and unoccupied vehicles can still have disastrous consequences. New Hampshire, like most states, requires that drivers use reasonable care when operating their vehicles. Reasonable care means acting in a way that another similarly situated prudent person would. When a driver deviates from that standard of care and causes an accident, they may be held liable for any resulting injuries and damages. These individuals may be responsible for compensating injury victims for their economic and non-economic losses, including property damage, medical bills, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.
New Hampshire drivers who are involved in an accident with a parked or occupied vehicle must take steps to identify themselves and mitigate any potential damage. After hitting a parked car, drivers should leave their identifying information, speak to witnesses, contact the police, and speak to their insurance company. In some instances, the driver will be liable for the accident and responsible for the damage they caused. In other situations, the owner or occupier of the parked car may be liable because they negligently or unsafely left their vehicle in a dangerous location.
Sometimes a driver has no choice but to hit a parked car in an attempt to avoid an accident with a pedestrian or other motorist. Determining liability in these cases can pose challenges because there may be many confounding variables that contributed to the accident. Moreover, defendants often claim that plaintiffs were partially at-fault for their injuries in an attempt to lower the amount of damages they owe. It is essential to contact an experienced New Hampshire car accident attorney to discuss any potential rights and recourse.
Has Your Vehicle Been Involved in an Accident with a New Hampshire Driver?
If your vehicle suffered damage because of a negligent driver or if you hit an illegally parked vehicle, you should contact the New Hampshire car accident attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates. Car accident cases are rarely as straightforward as they may seem, and it is important to retain an experienced injury attorney to ensure that you recover the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys have successfully resolved thousands of cases on behalf of New Hampshire car accident victims. Contact our office at 800-804-2004 to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our highly sought injury attorneys.