If your car gets damaged in a police chase, you may be able to recover repair costs and other losses through your auto insurance, the fleeing suspect’s insurance, or the police department.
Determining who is responsible for property damage that occurs during a police chase can be difficult. If your car was damaged in a chase, a Salt Lake City car accident lawyer from Siegfried & Jensen can investigate the incident, identify who is responsible for your damages, and help you pursue compensation.
What Happens If My Car Gets Hit in a Police Chase?
If your car gets hit in a police chase, a car accident attorney from Siegfried & Jensen can help you pursue damages from the party who is responsible for the collision.
You do not necessarily have to wait until the criminal case against the fleeing driver concludes to file a property damage claim. Our lawyers can help determine who is liable for the damage to your vehicle and guide you through the process of filing a claim.
For a free legal consultation, call (801) 266-0999
Who Pays for Cars Damaged in Police Chases?
The party who pays for cars damaged in a police chase depends on how the crash occurred and the insurance coverage that’s available. Potential sources of compensation include:
- The fleeing driver’s insurance: The driver’s property damage liability coverage may pay for repairs if the policy applies and sufficient coverage is available.
- Your collision coverage: This pays to repair or replace your car regardless of who is at fault, though you will have to pay your deductible.
- Your uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage: If the fleeing suspect is uninsured or underinsured and you carry UM/UIM property damage or injury protection, this can help cover your losses. A Salt Lake City uninsured motorist accident lawyer can investigate your case and identify who is responsible for covering your damages.
- A government entity: While sovereign immunity laws can make suing law enforcement difficult, a city, county, or other public entity may be liable if its employees acted with gross negligence or violated specific departmental pursuit guidelines.
- Another negligent motorist’s insurance: If another driver’s actions contributed to the collision, their liability coverage may provide compensation.
Can the Police Department Be Held Liable in Utah?
Yes, a police department in Utah can potentially be held liable if your car is damaged during a police chase, but it is very difficult to file a claim against the government, and your eligibility to do so depends on whether any law enforcement officers acted recklessly or violated official department pursuit policies.
Under Utah Code Section 63G-7-201 (part of the Governmental Immunity Act of Utah), government entities, officers, and employees are generally immune from lawsuits for injuries that result from the performance of their governmental functions within the scope of their employment.
To hold a police department or officer liable for damage to your vehicle, you generally must prove that an officer engaged in reckless, willful, or wanton conduct (such as intentionally ramming a vehicle in an unsafe situation), or that they violated official pursuit policies.
In most cases, the fleeing suspect is legally responsible for paying for injuries and property damage caused in a police chase. A lawyer from Siegfried & Jensen can evaluate your case and determine who is liable for your losses.
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Types of Damages You Can Recover
You can recover many different types of damages after an accident that occurred during a police chase, including:
Property Damage
You can recover the costs to repair or replace your vehicle. You may also recover damages for personal items damaged in the crash, such as laptops or camera equipment. Our lawyers at Siegfried & Jensen can help identify which types of coverage apply to your case.
Medical Costs
You may be able to claim compensation for your injuries, including reimbursement for any medical bills related to the accident. This includes both current and future medical expenses.
Lost Wages
If you missed time at work and were unable to earn an income due to your injuries, you can claim lost wages. You may also be entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity if your injuries affect your long-term earning potential.
Pain and Suffering
You can pursue compensation for non-economic damages, which are meant to compensate you for the pain and suffering and emotional distress you experienced due to the accident. The severity of your injuries and how they impacted your life will determine how much compensation you are entitled to.
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How an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
After a car crash, the Salt Lake City car accident lawyers at Siegfried & Jensen can help you navigate the claims process and build a strong case for compensation.
Specifically, we can assist with your case by:
Collecting More Evidence
The more evidence you can gather, the better. Our attorneys can help you collect witness statements and find eyewitness footage of the accident. We might also visit nearby businesses to determine whether they have CCTV footage of the accident.
Lastly, we can help you get a police report from your car accident and speak to the other people who were involved.
Reconstructing the Accident
You may not have any firsthand evidence of the incident, or you might have sustained injuries that make recalling what happened difficult. We can perform a car accident reconstruction to determine what happened.
Assessing Damages
We may be able to help you recover compensation for all of the losses you sustained in the incident. Our lawyers can work with a team of investigators, experts, and appraisers to determine how much your car is worth today versus before the accident, as well as examine your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
We can help you seek the compensation you deserve and move forward with your life.
Identifying Who Should Pay
After this type of accident, there may be some uncertainty about who should pay. Obtaining compensation from a law enforcement agency or individual officers can be difficult because sovereign immunity offers them protection. Insurance companies also have their own procedures in place for determining liability after an accident.
We can help identify who is at fault in your case and work to hold them accountable for your damages.
Negotiating With Liable Parties and Insurance Adjusters
We can negotiate with liable parties and attempt to secure a fair settlement for you. If you decide to pursue a claim against law enforcement or their insurance company, we can help you pursue a fair settlement that covers all of your losses.
Going to Trial
Sometimes, those who are at fault for a police chase accident refuse to make a reasonable settlement offer. If this happens in your case, litigation may become necessary. We can help prepare your case for trial and fight for you in Utah District Court.
What To Do After a Police Chase Damages Your Car
After a police chase damages your car, it’s important to:
Gather Evidence
Do you have a dash cam that recorded the incident? These devices typically only hold so much data, so if you have one, make sure you save the footage. You should also take photos of the vehicle damage and other important details, such as street names and nearby businesses.
If any witnesses are present, ask them for their contact information. Lastly, write down what you remember, such as a partial license plate for the absconding driver or the number on the side of the patrol car that was chasing it.
Seek Medical Attention
Crashes that occur during high-speed chases can result in severe injuries. Even if you have no visible wounds, you may have suffered a back injury or whiplash. Be sure to visit the University of Utah Hospital, St. Mark’s Hospital, or another local emergency room to get checked out by a doctor.
If the doctor confirms that you have injuries, you should follow their instructions carefully, or you could be held liable for worsening injuries.
Contact Your Insurance Company
After a police chase accident, you should speak with your insurance provider as soon as possible. They will likely assign an adjuster and walk you through the claims process so that you are up to date on what is happening.
Stick to the facts when speaking to adjusters and avoid giving a recorded statement or speculating about who is at fault for the accident.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
Pursuing compensation for car damage can be complicated, especially when your case involves law enforcement. An experienced personal injury attorney from Siegfried & Jensen can guide you through the process of filing a legal claim against the at-fault party.
Police Chase Car Accident FAQs
Our car accident attorneys at Siegfried & Jensen can answer all your questions about your case, including:
How Long Do You Have to File a Lawsuit in Utah?
You typically have four years from the date of a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit or three years to file a property damage lawsuit in Utah under Utah Code § 78B-2-305.
However, if you are filing a claim against a government agency, you generally must submit a notice of claim within one year of the incident and file any lawsuit within two years after the claim arises (Utah Code 63G-7-403).
If you don’t file your claim before the car accident statute of limitations in Utah expires, you will be barred from pursuing damages in court, which is why it’s crucial to talk to an attorney from Siegfried & Jensen immediately after an accident.
What Evidence Do You Need to Recover Compensation After a Police Chase Accident?
The evidence you need to recover compensation after a police chase may include car crash reports, photographs or videos of the accident scene, witness statements, repair estimates and invoices, vehicle valuation records, and medical bills.
The attorneys at Siegfried & Jensen can help collect and organize important evidence before it disappears.
What If I Was Injured in the Police Chase Car Accident?
If you were injured when your car was struck during a police chase, you may be able to pursue compensation for both your vehicle damage and your physical injuries. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, you may be able to recover compensation from the fleeing suspect’s insurance policy, law enforcement, or your own insurance.
An attorney from Siegfried & Jensen can investigate the crash, identify all responsible parties, and help you put together a personal injury claim.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer at Siegfried & Jensen
Police chase crashes are some of the most complex types of car accident cases. Going up against government agencies and large insurance companies can be difficult. An experienced car accident lawyer from Siegfried & Jensen can review your case, determine who is liable for your damages, and help you pursue a fair settlement.
Schedule a free case evaluation to find out how you can get paid for your accident.
Call or text (801) 266-0999 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
