Car Crashes Caused by Animals in Atlanta
Georgia is home to a lot of wildlife, including deer, bears, and even alligators. A car accident with any of these animals can be dangerous and may leave the driver with a lot of expenses.
When a person suffers damage or injuries, the person responsible for paying those expenses will depend largely on whether the car accident involved a domestic animal or wildlife. These accidents are also very case specific, meaning it will also depend on factors specific to the accident and the individual scenario.
When the accident involves domestic animals, whether a cow or a dog or cat that belongs to a nearby home, either the driver or the owner of the animal may be at fault. If a cow broke through a fence, wandered onto the road and caused an accident, the rancher may be at fault. All farm owners are responsible for containing their animals at all times. Georgia also has leash laws that state the owner is responsible for keeping their pet under their control at all times.
In this instance, the animal owner could be responsible for paying any expenses related to the accident. If the animal was very large, such as a cow that can weigh up to one thousand pounds, and the driver swerved to avoid hitting it, the rancher could also be liable if the driver hit another car after swerving and causing injury to another driver.
But if a driver lost control of her car just outside of ranch and broke through a rancher’s fence and hit an animal, she would be responsible for providing compensation for damages and injuries. Drivers must maintain control of their vehicle at all times, and because the animal was in a pen, the driver in this instance would likely be at fault.
When the animal hit was part of Georgia’s wildlife, it can become more complicated. Most insurance policies do not cover accidents involving animals; this would leave the driver responsible for paying for any injury or damage-related expenses. If the driver has a comprehensive insurance policy that covers accidents that do not involve another vehicle, the insurance company may provide benefits to pay for the damage.
However, the insurance premium the driver will have to pay may be more than the total damage; or the insurance payments may increase if the insurance company finds the driver was at fault for the accident. This may be especially true if the driver swerved to avoid the animal and as a result, crashed into another vehicle and caused injury or damage to that vehicle or another driver.
Being in a car accident can always be confusing, but when it involves an animal, drivers in Georgia can be even more confused about what will happen.
