Car accidents with government-owned vehicles in Florida are more likely to occur than you may realize. Emergency vehicles rush through intersections daily to get to accident scenes or hospitals. During this time, it is possible that police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances may strike another vehicle. In addition to emergency vehicles causing accidents, it is quite possible that non-emergency vehicles—also driven by government employees—could side-swipe or rear-end your car.
In whichever way an auto accident with a government-owned vehicle occurred, dealing with this type of accident is more difficult than in cases in which the other vehicle is being driven by another private individual. While it is possible to bring a lawsuit against the government for an accident and injury, crashes involving emergency vehicles can be really complicated.
Complications With Emergency Vehicles
If the vehicle that hit you had its sirens and lights activated and was responding to an emergency, it may be difficult to pursue a lawsuit for damages. This is because the government is granted liberty to respond to emergencies. Although emergency crews need to respond to emergency situations while simultaneously keeping the public’s safety in mind, the public also has to be observant of lights and sirens and yield to emergency vehicles.
Although a car accident claim against a government entity may be complicated, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a case. Before giving up, you should contact an experienced accident attorney to find out if you have a valid claim. You may be entitled to bring a lawsuit against your local city, state, or federal government depending on your case specifics.
For help navigating through the complexities of auto accidents with government vehicles, seek the legal help of an experienced attorney. A lawyer will be able to review your case and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines that must be met in order to bring a suit against a government entity or employee. Call our Sarasota based law firm at 888-409-3805 for a free initial consultation today.
