Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Info: Who is Responsible for Damage During a High-Speed Police Chase? | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Do you get butterflies when you hear the sound of sirens close by? What about when those blue and white lights are behind you. Understandably it makes most people nervous.This may have been the case for drivers on Interstate 81 in Virginia (VA) when a Virginia State Trooper was attempting to pull over a car that refused to stop.

A witness report states that police deployed spike strips to finally stop this reckless driver. The car accident turned fatal when the driver was ejected from his vehicle when it crashed. As a Virginia (VA) car accident attorney I’m glad that high speed chases don’t occur very often but when they do they can be deadly not only for the driver but innocent motorists as well.

 

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When a high-speed pursuit like this occurs, you may wonder who is responsible for the damage to vehicles and property, as well as the medical bills that will be generated from the injuries. Does the law enforcement agency whose officers were involved in the chase make compensation, or will the person who was driving the vehicle that was being chased?

Unless the police car itself made contact with a car, the fault will lie with the reckless driver who was ignoring and violating traffic laws. The problem in the case linked to above is that the suspect was killed in the accident that brought the chase to an end. Therefore, the innocent victim’s insurance company should still be able to make a claim against any insurance in effect at the time up to the limit of the contract.

If you have any questions about the many different situations that can occur with car accident injury claims, please consult our free consumer guide Best Guide to Virginia (VA) Car Accidents.

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