Over 1.3 million weather-related car accidents occur annually in the US. This accounts for about 23% of car accidents. Unfortunately, many car accident victims receive no compensation for their injuries and other damages. They end up having to pay for their damages or injuries out of pocket.
How Weather Related Accidents Occur
Weather conditions, such as snow, ice, rain and fog can result in unsafe road conditions. Rain, snow and ice cause slippery surfaces. Vehicles travelling on these slippery roads have little traction. In some cases, they can lose contact with the road’s surface.
Fog, heavy rain or snow can result in decreased visibility. In some cases, visibility can decrease to the point that it presents unsafe driving conditions.
Why Weather-Related Car Accidents are Complex
When an auto accident occurs, liability is determined based on which party was negligent. The negligent party is considered at-fault and is held liable for damages and injuries that result from the accident. However, in weather related car accidents, the weather is only considered as an additional factor in the accident. It is often not considered to be the proximate cause of car accidents.
Although poor weather conditions can contribute to an accident, it is no excuse for an accident. Drivers are required to be extra careful when presented with poor weather conditions. Drivers should reduce their speed or avoid driving completely if weather conditions are poor. Poor weather doesn’t absolve a driver from being held liable for the car accident.
Single Vehicle Accidents
These are weather-related accidents in which no other driver contributed to the accident. In such cases, you can recover compensation from your own insurance provider. This may only bepossible if you have collision coverage.
It is important to have an experienced attorney to assist you in filing your claim. Insurance companies will do their best to delay and may eventually deny the claim completely or prevent you from recovering your full damages.
Accidents involving other drivers
If another vehicle was involved in the accident, negligence will have to be proven. If the other party is proven to have been negligent, you can make a claim for compensation from that party’s car insurance provider.
Be prepared for a fight. Insurance providers will put up a fight to deny your claim or prevent you from recovering compensation. Having an experienced attorney representing you will help to improve your chances of obtaining just compensation.
