Car Accidents with Emergency Vehicles: When Can I Get Compensation for my Injuries?

When it comes to emergency vehicles in California, there are specific laws regarding accident liability that differs from ones having to do with individual passenger vehicles. Because these emergency vehicles are often responding to life-threatening issues, they can lawfully disregard some of the rules that other motorists are bound by when navigating the roadways.  But Los Angeles emergency vehicle accident lawyer knows that this does not mean that emergency vehicles are violate the vehicle and traffic law with impunity.  Victims who are seriously injured in auto accidents with emergency vehicles may be entitled to compensation.

Even though an emergency vehicle generally has the right-of-way, there are limits to these rights and any accident that you may have been involved in with one of these vehicles should be reviewed accordingly by an experienced bodily injury law firm.

Specific California codes govern the instances when a police vehicle or medical emergency vehicles may avoid regular traffic laws. In these cases, any emergency vehicle must be actively engaged in an emergency call or rescue operation. Vehicle codes go on further to specify that the safety of other people on the road must be regarded. Emergency vehicles must also have their lights and sirens both on in order to be afforded the protections of the vehicle and traffic law.  An emergency vehicle that is violating the law without responding to an emergency, without lights on, and without sirens on may be liable for your personal injuries.

Said differently, this means that emergency vehicles, police cars, and fire trucks and their operators are not typically held liable for violations to driving laws when they are actively en-route to an emergency unless they are doing so unsafely or against the law. Obviously, this can be difficult to prove.

When you have been injured in an auto accident involving an emergency vehicle, you will want to get the advice of a Los Angeles emergency vehicle accident lawyer who understands the laws and can offer guidance with regard to any injury claims you may be considering.  For more information and a FREE case review, contact us today at (888) 588-1777.  We are ready and willing to help.