Who’s Responsible When an Animal Causes an Accident?

As the leaves are beginning to turn colors here in the Granite State, you might think about taking a drive through some of New Hampshire’s more scenic areas to enjoy the highlights of autumn. Driving along scenic highways can be beautiful, but it can also be dangerous if an animal suddenly darts out in front of your car, causing you to either swerve and crash into a tree or hitting the animal altogether. If you hit an animal on a New Hampshire road or highway, who is responsible for the damage to your car and any injuries you suffered from the accident?

 

WILDLIFE COLLISIONS

Deer and moose are aplenty in New Hampshire, and every year many New Hampshire drivers are involved in collisions with both animals. Deer can suddenly spring out of nowhere to dart across a road, and moose are very difficult to see at dusk and dawn because of their size. Their large stature makes their legs blend in with the pavement, and chances are your headlights will not pick up a reflection from their eyes because the moose’s head is taller than the beam of your lights. Also because of a moose’s height, collisions with these animals tend to send the bulk of the animal through the windshield of a car, severely injuring or even killing passengers.

If you are involved in an accident that was caused by a wild animal, your only recourse is to report the accident to your auto insurance company. Contact a personal injury lawyer at Tenn And Tenn, P.A., who can help you file a claim and get you the necessary compensation from your insurance company.

DOMESTIC ANIMAL COLLISIONS

If you are unfortunate enough to hit a domesticated animal, such as a dog or a cat, you’re likely going to feel terrible. If the animal dies, you’ll feel even worse, but depending on the size of the animal, the damage to your car may be upsetting as well. If you hit a dog or a cat and it was not wearing any identification tags, it might be impossible to contact the owner.

If you happen to hit another type of domesticated animal, like a cow, that can cause serious damage to your car as well as cause injuries to you and your passenger(s). If you can locate the owner of the animal, a personal injury attorney at Tenn And Tenn can advise you of filing a claim with the farm owner’s insurance policy to get compensation for your medical and property damage costs.

TENN AND TENN, INTERSECTION ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

If you’ve been in an accident involving an animal, you can receive compensation for any injuries you might have received and for any property damage you may have suffered. Tenn And Tenn can help. Call them today at (603) 614-5055 or fill out a contact form to learn how they can help you.