Kent Emergency Vehicle Accident Lawyers
- What Rights Do You Have After an Accident with an Emergency Vehicle?
- What to Do Following an Accident with an Emergency Vehicle
- What Damages Can You Recover Following an Emergency Vehicle Accident?
- Emergency Vehicle Accident Statistics
- Call Hershensohn Law Today if You Were Hurt in an Emergency Vehicle Crash
Emergency vehicles are all over the roadways of Washington, helping keep our state a safe place to live. These vehicles can help save lives in emergencies, yet by doing so, they must perform risky driving behaviors. These risky behaviors can lead to accidents resulting in devastating injuries. If you were in such a situation, you should not be responsible for the consequential damages if you were obeying the law.
Herschensohn Law is committed to seeing our clients treated fairly no matter what type of accident they’ve been involved in. You may feel out of luck if you have been struck by an emergency vehicle, but that may not be true. Emergency vehicles must still follow laws and adhere to safety guidelines to navigate the roadways no matter what kind of emergency has taken place.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident caused by an emergency vehicle and has sustained injuries, the truck accident attorneys of Herschensohn Law may be able to help you recover financial compensation.
Call our firm today at (206) 558-4344 for a free case review.
When you hear or see an emergency vehicle with its lights and sirens on, you must provide them with the right of way. So, pull over or get out of the way safely, so as not to obstruct the vehicle. However, even when you take care to get out of the way, there are still chances that you could be involved in an accident.
In Washington, emergency vehicles have certain rights when an emergency occurs. They can go through red lights and stop signs, drive at a speed greater than the speed limit, and even travel in the opposite direction of traffic. This may leave you wondering how you could ever recover damages if you’re involved in an accident. It’s possible because the law also requires that drivers of these vehicles act with reasonable regard for the safety of the individuals on the road.
As RCW § 4.96.010 defines, the government may be liable for damages that arise out of their employees’ conduct to the same extent as if they were a private entity.
After you’ve been in an accident with an emergency vehicle, act in the same manner as you would following any other accident. First, move your car to a safe place, and then ensure that you and any passengers in the vehicle don’t have injuries.
After that, call 911, and let them know there’s been an accident. Get out of the car, and take pictures of your vehicle while you wait for first responders. The emergency vehicle that struck you may not stop, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options.
When the first responders arrive, truthfully explain to them the nature of your accident and what caused it. This information will go in a police report, which you can use to help you recover damages. If you or anyone in your vehicle was injured, you should make sure that they receive medical care, even if the injuries seem minor.
People we’ve helped
“Very knowledgeable and trustworthy. Zach Herschensohn provided me with excellent service. He kept me well informed and explained complicated issues in a way I could understand. He took the lead and guided me through everything necessary to achieve a successful outcome. Overall, I am very pleased with his service and would highly recommend him to anyone.”
“Herschensohn Law worked by my side for almost four years when I was in an auto accident and were outstanding in everything they did! They went above and beyond to make my lawsuit as easy and stress free as possible for me while consistently showing genuine care for my wellbeing. They even recommended amazing health care professionals for my injuries! Anything/everything I may have been confused/concerned about was addressed/explained so I felt comfortable with each move made in my lawsuit. Professional, courteous and attentive are just a few words I would use to describe this law firm and although I hope to never be in a similar situation again - if I do, Herschensohn Law will be my first call!”
“Zach and his team performed beyond my expectations! I couldn't have had a better firm in my corner!”
“This was such a great experience.”
“Zach will always take time and give you quality advice that you can trust. Highly recommended!”
Just like with any other accident, you may be entitled to collect economic and non-economic damages if they pertain to your accident. That means that you can recover:
- Past and projected medical bills
- Property damage costs
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
Your attorney will be able to assist you with creating your claim or lawsuit, and they will want to know what financial hardship you have suffered as a result of the accident and any other emotional or mental trauma that has occurred. Be truthful with your attorney, and make sure to give them as many details as possible so they can work to obtain fair compensation for you.
Emergency vehicles work to help the community, and yet the unfortunate truth is that sometimes their actions can lead to severe accidents and even death. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 180 people died in crashes involving emergency vehicles in 2021. Over half of these deaths were people who were in a vehicle other than the emergency vehicle, and one-quarter of the deaths were pedestrians. That means over 80% of deaths due to emergency vehicles were people who weren’t in the vehicle.
Police vehicles accounted for the most deaths, at 132, the highest total reported in the last decade. Since 2010, police vehicles have consistently been the cause of the most deaths of any emergency vehicle, doubling that of ambulances and fire trucks every year. Ambulances tend to account for the second-most deaths, but fire trucks did cause more deaths than ambulances in 2017.
“Zach will always take time and give you quality advice that you can trust. Highly recommended!”
After you’ve been involved in an accident with an emergency vehicle, consider reaching out to our firm to help you with your claim or lawsuit. It may be challenging for you to recover damages without legal representation. At Herschensohn Law, we know the laws in Washington, and we’re committed to seeing our clients receive financial compensation for accidents that involved another party breaking one of those laws.
Because emergency vehicles are government property, it can be difficult to recover compensation after an accident with one. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. If you were involved in an accident with an emergency vehicle, you still have rights, and those rights allow you to recover compensation in certain situations.
When you are ready to seek legal counsel, contact Herschensohn Law at (206) 588-4344 today for your free consultation.
We take personal injury cases on contingency, so you pay us nothing unless we obtain an award for you.
Our results speak for themselves
After a worker was electrocuted on a construction site and suffered life-changing injuries, we fought and won on their behalf.
When a retired man was killed in a truck accident, we made sure his grieving family got fair compensation.
When a defective medical device harmed our client, we fought to ensure they had the financial compensation needed to recover.
Hurt? Let our law firm handle the details
When you request your free consultation, Kent personal injury attorney Zach Herschensohn will listen to you, answer your questions, lay out your legal options, and give you down-to-earth legal advice.
When you work with our law office, there are no obligations, hidden fees, or fine print. It’s that simple.