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Abandoned Vehicle Accidents: 4 Things Car Accident Attorneys Might Look At

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One category of case that may not be as prominent to the average person is an abandoned vehicle case. If you want to know what kinds of things might apply to an abandoned vehicle case and what lawyers might look for, take a look at these aspects of cases where a vehicle gets left out in the road.

Intrusion Into the Roadway

One of the first responsibilities for someone who is about to abandon vehicle is to get that vehicle as far off of the road as possible. Many states have statutes about not leaving vehicles in the road. A lawyer might actually look at the person who's on the title and registration, and try to clear that person first, looking at responsibility for vehicles that have been left blocking lanes of traffic. He or she may secure access to red light camera information or other sources to document the accident.

Signage and Warning Lights

Drivers also have a certain amount of responsibility to mark stranded vehicles and put up warning signs to prevent secondary accidents. Ideally, there will be flares and bright lights set around the stranded vehicle. Reflectors can also be effective.

Trucking companies have rules about these sort of things, because they understand the responsibilities involved. Without any kind of warning signage and lights, it can be difficult for oncoming traffic to avoid these obstacles. Lawyers might look at policy for business fleet to figure out if standards were in place, and if they were followed. They may ask for safety policies from involved parties or businesses owning an abandoned truck.

Individuals Near the Roadway

Often, in stranded vehicle cases, oncoming motorists face individuals lingering by the side of the highway, walking dangerously close to a lane, or trying to access a car from the traffic side, all of which cuts down on the available shoulder space that vehicles need to drive safely. In these types of cases, a lawyer might look at pedestrian activity along the side of the road, for example, when swerving contributed to collisions.

The lawyer may look at any "live cargo" or other hazards that constituted a moving target for oncoming drivers. They may look at issues with glare from an obstacle or other related issues, in order to figure out what sorts of responsibility applied to a case.

These are some of the common aspects of what an attorney may look at in a specific case involving a parked or stranded vehicle. Learn more by contacting local law firms such as Law Office Of Tammy Strohl PA.


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