When you are injured, such as after a car accident, you probably cannot wait for emergency services to arrive. However, there are some cases where an emergency vehicle is traveling at a high speed and collides with your vehicle. This can lead to serious injuries. You may try your best to get out of the way but sometimes there is nothing you can do. However, you might wonder if the emergency driver is responsible for your injuries.

The Rights of Emergency Vehicles

To serve the public, emergency vehicles are allowed to travel at a higher speed and drive through red lights. Also, emergency vehicles are either owned by the US government or are used by a government agency, even if they are owned by another party. In some states, an emergency vehicle is completely protected from personal injury lawsuits. This is especially true if the driver was responding to an emergency.

However, in some cases, the driver might be held responsible for your injuries if their actions were especially egregious. For example, the driver might have failed to turn on the siren and emergency light while traveling through an intersection and blowing through a red light.

Examples of Driver Negligence

The driver might have been intoxicated or may have fallen asleep behind the wheel. You will need to gather evidence to support that the other party was negligent and that this negligence led to the accident. The driver might have failed to adequately maintain the emergency vehicle and it might have become defective as a result. A piece of equipment might have become loose, fallen, and hit your car.

Emergency vehicle operators are allowed to ignore the rules of the road. However, they can only do that when it is safe to do so. For example, the driver cannot use the emergency vehicle to ram another vehicle and push it out of the way. The driver must slow down to avoid other vehicles.

Unique Requirements

When you are filing a claim against a government agency, you will need to follow a specific approach as determined by the state in which you reside. You will be limited regarding the benefits you will be able to collect. You will also have a shorter time limit with which to file for benefits. Ambulance vehicles are relatively large and fire trucks are the largest of emergency vehicles. They can cause a substantial amount of damage.

For more information about getting compensation if you have been hit by an emergency vehicle, talk to a personal injury attorney in your area.

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