A Passenger Can Sue A Driver For Causing Their Injuries In A Single Vehicle Accident
Car accident lawsuits are not always about the driver of one car suing the driver of another car. For example, if the cause of the accident was a vehicle malfunction, then the manufacturer of the vehicle is legally responsible for the damage caused, and people injured in the accident have the right to seek damages from them. If the accident resulted from a hazard on public property, such as a defective traffic light or railroad crossing gate, the city or county in control of the property can be liable. Some car accident lawsuits even result from single vehicle accidents. Whether or not a lawsuit turns out to be the best way to get the money you need after being injured in a car accident, a Columbia car accident lawyer can help you choose the best course of action.
Bystanders Rescue Driver and Passenger After Car Drives Into Lake
On Wednesday, October 13 in the afternoon, Brittany Tallent was driving on Highway 521 in Indian Land, near the Sun City retirement community. She lost control of the car, and it veered off the side of the road and into a pond outside the retirement community. People nearby reacted to the unusual sight of a car plunging into a pond; some of them filmed the events on their cell phone cameras, while others called 911. One man even jumped into the water and attempted to open the driver’s side door before pulling Tallent out of the car’s window, after which she swam to shore. The passenger was also able to get out of the lake safely. Tallent, 26, is now facing criminal charges for DUI.
The WSOC-TV news website did not indicate whether anyone was injured in the accident. In a situation like this, where a driver causes a single-vehicle crash because of DUI, the driver bears all the legal responsibility for the accident. This means that if a passenger gets injured in the accident, they have the right to sue the driver for damages in the amount of the financial losses they suffered because of the accident, such as accident-related medical bills. If the drunk driver was not the owner of the car, the owner of the car could also be liable, because people are legally responsible for damage caused by their property. In many cases, lawsuits are not the best solution, since, if they are facing criminal charges for DUI, they are unlikely to be able to pay someone else’s medical bills, unless they are very wealthy. In this case, personal injury lawyers can help the injured passenger get a better settlement from the relevant insurance companies.
Contact Us Today for Help
A car accident lawyer can help you recover damages if you were injured when you were a passenger in a DUI accident that only involved one vehicle. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
wsoctv.com/news/local/caught-camera-witness-rescues-driver-after-car-plunges-into-sc-pond/YTAAIS7KUVEC5EQUKDM77FRLSI/
