St. Louis Car Wreck Attorney Dicusses Reducing Accidents Involving Animals

Car accidents can be caused by drunk drivers, distracted drivers, weather conditions, vehicle defects, and obstructions or objects on the road including animals. In fact, animals cause a large number of accidents in rural areas of Missouri and neighborhoods as well. Whether the animal involved in the collision is wild or domesticated, it can cause devastating accidents that lead to serious injuries. In this post, our St. Louis auto accident lawyer will discuss these accidents, and ways to prevent them.

Wandering animals can create dangerous obstructions on the road. Whenever there is a collision involving these animals, the results are often deadly. In Missouri, each year, animal related accidents cause several deaths and cost thousands of dollars in property damage. Direct impact with an animal, especially at high speed, can lead to serious injuries, and the results could be worse than what we expect in collisions involving only vehicles.

Types of accidents caused by animals

Animals and livestock can cause different types of car accidents including:

1. Head-on collision with a large animal at high speed

2. Applying brakes and stopping short to allow an animal to pass, and getting rear-ended by another vehicle

3. Swerving into another lane to avoid a collision with an animal and colliding with another vehicle in that lane

Is there are way to prevent these accidents?

The UK has adopted a novel way to prevent accidents involving animals. Even UK has a large network of rural roads, so there are plenty of accidents that involve wild and domesticated animals. To prevent these accidents, farmers in UK have started to paint to their livestock with reflective paint so that the animals are visible to drivers even at night time. Although we still cannot say how effective it would be in preventing accidents, it could be a step in the right direction. We can try replicating such small ideas to make a difference.

Compensation for accidents involving animals and livestock

Getting compensation for accidents involving animals is more complicated that getting compensation for accidents that involve other drivers, because no one is directly responsible for wild animals such as deer. So, these accidents are often not something you can seek compensation for. In these accidents, the insurance company of the driver involved in the accident will typically pay for the medical expenses and property damage. However, for passengers in an accident involving wild animals, there may be some options. This is because you can file a claim against the driver of the vehicle, especially if the driver failed to follow rules of the road or was speeding.

If the animal involved in the accident was domesticated or owned livestock, you can seek likely compensation, because in such cases, the owner would be responsible for keeping them off the road.

If you have been in an accident involving an animal, you should discuss your case withSt. Louis accident injury lawyer to fully understand your legal options. If you've been injured in St. Louis call (314) 361-4242 today to set up a free and private consultation with an experienced attorney!