If you’re looking for the right party to sue after a car accident, you’ll need to know who’s responsible. There are several types of parties that can be sued for a car accident. These include the driver, owner, renter, and insurer of the vehicle that caused the crash. You may also argue for other negligent parties like road construction crews or careless pedestrians.
Driver
The primary party you can sue after an automobile accident is the vehicle’s driver. Your lawsuit would need to show that the driver acted unsafely, which caused your car accident.
When determining who was driving at fault, it’s important to understand that there are special rules for minors and commercial drivers. These rules vary depending on where you live. If you’re not sure who was at fault for your car accident, learn more about handling car accidents with drivers of different ages.
To find the fault in a car accident, you’ll need to look at the cause of the accident and the driver’s actions. If you successfully find a fault in an auto accident, you can file a personal injury claim against one or more of these parties.
Owner
The vehicle owner is responsible for an accident caused by any driver using their vehicle. Owners are held responsible regardless of their awareness that their vehicle was being driven. In most states, the owner is responsible for whether they were physically present in the car or not.
Renter
The renter of a vehicle is responsible for accidents caused by any driver who uses the car or the owner or driver. You may only sue the renter if they acquired liability insurance before renting the vehicle. This means that you will not be able to sue someone’s insurance company for coverage lapses, although this may be an argument in your case if there is another issue between you and the renter.
Insurer
Your insurance company may also be responsible for the injuries you sustained in a car accident, as long as they knew the coverage under your policy. You can only make this argument based on your policies, not other policies that you purchased.
Road Construction Crews
Construction crews are sometimes considered negligent parties if they cause an accident while building or repairing a road. This would then make the company liable to pay compensation to anyone injured. Road construction companies also have a duty to ensure that their workers are safe when working on a road.
Pedestrians
Sometimes pedestrians are considered to be negligent parties if they don’t obey the rules of the road and cause car accidents. When pedestrians cross an intersection or walk in the middle of a road, they have no legal obligation to limit their speed or turn off their cell phones at crossroads. This can sometimes be used as an argument for liability in a personal injury case.
Manufacturer of the Vehicle or Tires
Manufacturers can be held liable for manufacturing defects that lead to a car accident. If there was a design defect in the vehicle, which led to the accident, you might be able to sue the vehicle manufacturer and tires. Manufacturers are also responsible for providing accurate product instructions or warning labels.
