Frequently Asked Questions About Accidents
As Seattle car and truck accident lawyers, one of our first priorities in a motor vehicle accident case is to identify all parties who may be liable. In most cases, accidents are caused by driver negligence; normally (but not always) the other driver will be the most responsible for an accident.
In many accidents, however, other parties may also be at fault, including:
- Restaurants, bars, and other establishments. If an accident is caused in part by driver intoxication, restaurants, bars, and other establishments may be liable if they continued to serve alcohol to the driver after they knew or should have known that the driver was intoxicated.
- Other drivers. In some cases, the primary cause of an accident is not the driver directly involved in a collision, but another motorist who acted negligently. For instance, if a motorist is driving the wrong way down a road, and another driver swerves into a vehicle in an attempt to avoid the wrong-way motorist, the wrong-way motorist likely will be the one who will bear the most responsibility for the accident.
- Cities, towns, and other municipalities. In some accidents, cities, towns, and other municipalities may be legally liable for a motor vehicle accident if they were negligent in some manner which contributed to an accident, such as by:
- Failing to ensure properly functioning traffic control devices,
- Failing to have streets designed so that they are safe,
- Failing to properly maintain roadways, and
- Failing to maintain vegetation along the sides of roadways so that traffic signage is not obstructed, and so that cross streets can be clearly seen.
- Construction crews and companies. Many accidents occur in or around construction zones, especially during nighttime when lane diversions and other traffic control devices are not easily seen.
- Defective car and vehicle product manufacturers. If an accident is caused by a defective product, such as a defective tire or a vehicle that has a high propensity for roll-over, the manufacturer of the defective product may be liable. Additionally, if an accident victim suffers a more serious injury than should be expected as a result of the failure of some aspect of the vehicle, such as a seat belt failure, the manufacturer may also be liable for the injuries that would not have been suffered had the vehicle functioned properly in the accident.
We Seek to Identify All Parties Who May Be Liable So that We Can Hold Them Accountable for the Full Measure of Damages and Injuries They Have Caused
This is the only way to ensure that our clients can recover the full amount to which they are entitled.
Please Call Us Today to Get Started
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, please call us today to find out how we will work vigorously on your behalf. We offer a free, no obligation consultation so that you can learn about our firm, and so that we can learn about your case. If you retain our firm, unless otherwise agreed, we will represent you on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no fees to us unless and until we recover for you.