Although the vast majority of car accidents on U.S. roads involve more than one party (another motor vehicle or pedestrian), there is also a large percentage of single-car accidents that do not include another driver.
As its name implies, only one vehicle can be involved in a single-vehicle accident. Because of this, many of those who get injured in a single-car accident automatically think that they are the only party at fault for the crash and that they will have to pay for their own medical expenses and damages.
“That’s a huge misconception,” says our Pittsburgh single-car accident attorney at SMA Law Group. “You may be able to sue another party that caused your single-vehicle crash to recover damages, or, in some situations, you may be held partially at fault for the crash, which means you will be able to seek compensation for a certain percentage of your financial losses and damages.”
More often than not, drivers who suffered harm in single-vehicle crashes have to request a thorough investigation to determine fault. Most auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania will deny your legitimate personal injury and property damage claim after hearing that you were involved in a single-car accident without conducting a fair and unbiased investigation.
You can protect your legal rights by hiring an experienced single-car accident attorney in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in Pennsylvania, because you may be entitled to seek monetary compensation from another party that caused or contributed to your single-vehicle collision.
In a nutshell, a single-vehicle accident is any motor vehicle collision involving only your automobile and no one else’s and no other party (such as a pedestrian, motorcycle, bicycle, e-scooter, etc.). For example, if you lose control of your vehicle and crash into a traffic sign instead of another vehicle, you have been in what is considered a single-vehicle crash.
To determine liability in our example above, much will depend on what caused you to lose control of your car. Let’s review the following three scenarios to establish fault:
You may be able to hold another party fully responsible for your damages and losses if you lost control of your automobile after hitting a pothole (in that case, you may be able to sue a city, municipality, state or any other public or private entity responsible for inspection and maintenance of the road where you were involved in the single-vehicle collision).
To ensure an accurate and thorough investigation and determination of liability in your single-car crash, speak to our Pittsburgh single-vehicle accident lawyer from SMA Law Group. You may not have to pay for the medical bills and other damages and losses from your own pocket. Schedule a free consultation by calling at 412-765-3345.
