We all know that law enforcement officers have many responsibilities to juggle, even while behind the wheels of their police vehicles. They are tasked with doing things that private drivers are not expected to handle. However, we also know that all drivers on the road owe everyone else on the road a duty to maintain a proper lookout while driving. So, what happens if you are injured in an accident involving a distracted driver and that distracted driver turns out to be a law enforcement officer? Regardless of the officer’s position, you may still be able to recover compensation for this accident. Whether the driver who hit and injured you was a police officer or a private citizen, be sure you have a skilled California injury attorney on your side to give you the legal help you need.
Having a knowledgeable legal advocate can help greatly when it comes to getting all of the compensation you deserve. Take, for example, the case of a pair of Southern California plumbers. As reported by noozhawk.com, B.S. and J.H. were traveling through the city of Santa Maria when they experienced a jarring and painful event. Their pickup truck was rear-ended while they were stopped in traffic. The driver behind them did not notice the stopped traffic quickly enough. Although he tried to stop, he could not brake in time. That driver, an officer of the Santa Maria police, was distracted, according to information provided at trial.
According to the report, the driver was not tweeting or surfing Instagram or texting. He was responding to a call and was checking his in-dash computer for suspect information displayed there when the crash occurred. Nevertheless, the officer was distracted and that state of driving while distracted led to his rear-ending B.S. and J.H., the injured men argued in their lawsuit. The city admitted liability.
When you’re injured in an accident like this, it is important to have copious evidence to support each outcome that you want the jury to reach. For example, in B.S. and J.H.’s case, they sought to prove that they were seriously injured as a result of substantial impact. The injured men brought into the trial expert evidence that indicated that, despite the officer’s braking, he slammed into the pickup truck at 30 mph, hitting the truck so hard that it pushed the truck into the vehicle in front of it, noozhawk.com reported.
In addition to the crash itself, there was also the issue of the harm the men suffered. This included things like medical expenses and lost income. Medical expense damages may often be proved using document proof of medical bills, expert testimony about future medical needs (and the cost of these treatments), or a combination of both. Lost wages damages, similarly, may rely upon document evidence of the plumbers past earning capacity, expert testimony about their future earning prospects, or a combination of both.
By the end of the trial, the jury had found the injured plumbers’ evidence persuasive and awarded them $420,000 in damages, which was a sum far higher than what the city had offered to settle the case, according to the noozhawk.com report.
If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident, even if your accident was one where the other side clearly was at fault, there are still many things you need to get the outcome you deserve. You need persuasive proof of the severity of the accident. You need persuasive proof of the damages that you incurred, like medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earnings. In other words, you need skilled counsel on your side. The experienced San Mateo personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos have been helping injured people for many years to realize positive results in their injury lawsuits. To set up a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
California Auto Accident Cases Arising from Unusual Scenarios, San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog, published December 27, 2018
Knowing How Much Your Injury Case is ‘Worth,’ and How This Knowledge Can Help in Your California Lawsuit, San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog, published September 20, 2018
Two Plumbers Recover $420K for a Rear-End Crash Caused by a Southern California Police Officer
