Who is legally responsible for a vehicle accident that happens on private property? The answer depends on several factors, but unlike accidents that happen on public roads where the state generally has no liability, a private property owner can be held liable if their duty of care has been breached.
Most people will never have to experience a car accident taking place on their private property. It seems a bit unlikely for a genuine accident to occur in your driveway or front yard, although it does happen. Surprisingly, there have been a handful of accidents reported where a driver lost control of their car, veered off the road, and crashed through someone’s house or garage. This sort of thing happens more frequently to businesses, like retail shops and liquor stores.
It’s also not unheard of for a semi-truck to crash into a house, and many times, the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or is fatigued from driving long distances. If you’re a homeowner and you’ve never considered this possibility, it’s time to start thinking about what you’d do if this happened on your property since you can be held liable for damages.
If this happens to you, call an attorney right away
If you find yourself in a situation where a car or truck has crashed into your house or has hit a vehicle or person on your property, you’ll want to contact a lawyer after any injured parties seek medical care. If the accident involved a semi or tractor-trailer, you can hold the trucking company responsible. Regardless of what the police can or cannot do to help, a truck accident attorney will be able to help you sort out the legal aspect of your situation.
Whatever you do, don’t look for advice on Google or use an AI tool to get advice. Both of these resources can be immensely helpful in other ways, but can’t give you trustworthy advice like you’d get from a lawyer.
Document the accident
Just like any other accident, document everything possible, including the date, time, and specific location of the accident. Take photos from every possible angle before You will need a police report if you’re going to claim the damage through insurance, so never skip this step. The police may not be able to issue citations or determine fault in your case, but they can (and should) write a report for you. No matter how you seek compensation, that report will help you win your claim.
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