The reason many people hire limousine drivers to take them to a party or other events is that they don’t have to worry about driving themselves. When somebody knows that they will be drinking alcoholic beverages, the responsible thing to do is to arrange for transportation.
You should be able to trust that the person driving the limousine is a careful driver and will keep you and the other passengers safe. If you are in a limo accident, you should contact a Lawrenceville accident attorney as soon as possible.
Your Georgia injury lawyer will help determine who you need to pursue in your legal claim. They will also be the person who must prove fault on the part of the limousine driver.
The Parties You Can Sue for a Limo Accident Will Depend on the Facts of Your Case
As with any other motor vehicle accident, the number of people your Georgia injury lawyer must name in your complaint depends on the facts of your case. If the limousine driver is the one who caused the crash, then you would more than likely pursue the limousine driver themselves, along with the company they work for.
If, however, a third party caused the accident, then you would also need to file a claim against the other person’s insurance. Ideally, after you file your lawsuit, your Lawrenceville accident attorney will be able to negotiate a settlement. This way, there is no need to go to trial and be forced to prove liability on behalf of each defendant named in your complaint.
You May Have a Legal Claim Against the Limo Driver
If you are the passenger in a limousine that gets into a motor vehicle accident, there is a good chance that you will have a claim for damages. In order to receive compensation, your Lawrenceville accident attorney must prove two things.
First, they must prove that the limousine driver, or a third-party driver, was responsible for the accident. The second thing your Georgia injury lawyer must prove is that you were injured in some way.
Typically, our clients suffer physical injuries as well as financial injuries. If your attorney is not able to demonstrate that you suffered a legitimate loss, you will not be entitled to damages. However, if it was clearly the limo driver’s fault, then your attorney will pursue the driver, the company they work for, and, if warranted, the company that maintains and services the limousine.
Your Lawrenceville Accident Attorney Will Also Name the Limo Company’s Owner in Your Initial Complaint
If your Lawrenceville accident attorney feels you have a strong case, they will attempt to negotiate a settlement with either the limousine company’s owner or their insurance carrier. If this is not possible, then your lawyer will have no choice but to file a lawsuit against both parties. Under Georgia law, the owners of a commercial transport company are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees.
Even if the company claims that the limousine drivers are not employees for legal purposes, there is still a good chance you will prevail in your claim. Usually, our Georgia injury lawyers find that limousine companies are more likely to settle cases such as this in order to avoid negative press. The last thing the owner of the limousine company wants is to see a new story portraying the company’s drivers as reckless or negligent.
You May Need to Pursue Damages From a Third Party if They Caused the Crash
Of course, if somebody other than the limousine driver caused the accident, you may need to pursue them for damages instead. This is no different than if you were the driver and somebody else smashed into your car. Even though you were involved in the accident, you did not cause it.
Therefore, it would be the other driver’s insurance company that would have to pay your claim. Similarly, if the limousine is involved in an accident but it was not the limo driver’s fault, you would have to pursue your legal claim against the other driver.
How Do You Know the Limousine Driver and Limo Company Have Ample Insurance to Cover Your Claim?
Some of our clients are concerned that the limousine company will not have ample insurance coverage to pay their claim in full. It’s important to remember that the other passengers in the limousine will also be filing lawsuits against the limousine driver and the company they work for.
The good news is that the owner of the limousine company is required, by law, to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in coverage for personal injuries, property damage, or death. This $1,000,000 coverage is per occurrence, not in total. The limousine company is also required to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in uninsured and underinsured motorists’ coverage.
Your Georgia Injury Lawyer Will Do Their Best to Get You the Compensation You Deserve
When you arrange for a limousine to take you and your friends out for a night on the town, the last thing you think is that you’ll end up in the hospital. The truth is, riding in a limo is not much different than riding in a lift or Uber. You trust that the person operating the vehicle is a careful and safe driver. You will also assume that the other people on the road are just as careful.
Unfortunately, our Lawrenceville accident attorneys meet with hundreds of clients every year who are injured in motor vehicle accidents. Just because your limousine driver is a professional, that does not mean that they are at any lower risk of getting into an accident than somebody else. Because they spend so much time on the roads, there is a greater chance that a limousine driver would be involved in a car accident.
Our Georgia injury lawyers are well aware of the dangers posed by limousines. They are big vehicles and they are much harder to maneuver in busy traffic than regular automobiles. In addition, the person driving the limousine is susceptible to the same careless driving behaviors as anybody else. If you or a loved one are hurt in a limousine accident, you may have a potential claim for damages.
The only way to know for sure is to come into the office and meet with a Lawrenceville accident attorney today. Your attorney will review all the information you have and give you an idea of whether your claim is strong enough to pursue.
During your free, initial consultation, your Georgia injury lawyer will also be able to gauge whether your case has enough promise that the firm would want to represent you. The initial consultation is free, and since you don’t have to pay our firm anything upfront, you really have nothing to lose.