Usually, in car accidents, the driver is liable for the car crash as well as for the damages caused to the person and property. The victim is entitled to file the case against the driver or person at fault. But are you still eligible to file a claim if the driver was a police officer or he/she was in the police car when the accident happened? If not, who would you sue in court?

Such claims are complicated. That’s is because many police officers have an exception from various types of personal injury claims. Sometimes police officers are also involved in gross negligence.

Gross Negligence: What Does that Mean?

Gross negligence has no specific definition, but essentially that there is no room for interpretation. Generally, gross negligence is used for an extreme case of carelessness such as driving under influence. In the case of a police officer, gross negligence means a police officer was driving at a dangerous speed and neither was trying to get to the crime scene or involved in the crime scene.

Reason Why Accidents with Police Cars Happen?

Police car chasing criminal suspects is one of the most common reasons why innocent bystanders get involved in the crash. For instance, a police officer could hit a passenger or a car while chasing someone who escaped just after committing a crime such as snatching or fleeing arrest.

While driving, a police officer could also be negligent and hit someone like other reckless drivers may involve in an accident. A police officer may likely be held responsible for what happened in the chain reaction car, like a rear-end crash.

Statute of Limitation for Compensation Claim

Usually, insurance companies have a deadline for filing a compensation claim. However, the deadline for filing a lawsuit against a police officer is different as filing this claim is against the government. The victim got 6 months from the injury date sends the claim notice to the party at fault for the harm.

That notice includes the description of the whole incident, injuries, compensation you are seeking as well as the solid evidence to support the allegations. The response time for the entity or agency has 2 months once they receive the notice. Not receiving the claim within this duration means the claim is denied. However, the victim can still eligible to file the lawsuit in the state court.

Need Help in the Car Accident Claim?

Sometimes, the police officer seems to be at fault straightforwardly. Still, you should seriously consider hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you at the court. That is because filing a claim against the police department or a police officer involves many complexities. Someone with no experience in dealing with such claims may miss key requirements and deadlines.

On the other hand, an experienced lawyer will make sure that your claim is properly pursued and will fight back to hold the officer negligible. If you have more queries or want assistance during the legal proceedings then call the long beach car accident lawyer. They have extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with such complicated cases.