Collision With Emergency Vehicle Raises Complex Legal Questions
A collision last month in nearby Norristown between an ambulance and a pickup truck resulted in multiple injuries and raises complex legal questions. Read on for a description of the crash and the possible legal implications for victims seeking to recover compensation for their injuries and losses. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motor vehicle accident in Philadelphia involving a car, truck, bus, or emergency vehicle, contact Benedum Law to speak with an experienced and dedicated Chestnut Hill auto accident lawyer.
Ambulance and Pickup Truck Collide in Norristown
The accident in question occurred just after 9:30 p.m. on April 25th when an ambulance and pickup truck apparently collided at the intersection of Haws Avenue and West Main Street in the borough of Norristown, which is the county seat of neighboring Montgomery County and lies outside of Philadelphia about ten miles northwest of Chestnut Hill. Video from 6abc’s Chopper 6 and NBC Philadelphia’s SkyForce 10 showed an ambulance stopped in the intersection with damage to its front end while a pickup truck was being loaded onto a flatbed and towed away.
Details of the crash were sketchy. For instance, it was not known whether the ambulance was responding to an emergency at the time of the crash or if it was carrying a passenger, although multiple injuries were reported.
Collisions With Emergency Vehicles Raise Distinct Legal Questions
When a passenger vehicle collides with an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance, complex legal issues come into play which typically make it more difficult for an injured driver or passenger to pursue a claim of negligence or personal injury.
First, there is the question of liability for causing the accident. Ambulance drivers are permitted by Pennsylvania law to violate traffic laws such as going over the speed limit or disregarding traffic signals, but they must do so safely and carefully, and only when responding to an emergency with sirens and lights activated. Ambulance drivers can be held liable for causing a crash by driving negligently or recklessly, but the leeway given to them as first responders often makes it more challenging to prove negligence in these situations.
Another tricky question concerns whether the ambulance was a public or private operator. Over two dozen ambulance companies are currently licensed to operate in Philadelphia; most of these are private transportation companies while others are affiliated with public institutions like Temple University or public agencies like the Philadelphia Fire Department.
If the ambulance service is run by a county or municipality, several special provisions apply compared to a car accident claim involving a private or commercial vehicle. For instance, most personal injury claims, including car accidents, have a two-year statute of limitations. This means you typically have up to two years from the date of the accident or injury to file a lawsuit. When a public agency is involved, however, you are required to file a notice of claim with the appropriate agency within six months to protect your right to pursue compensation.
Also, although claims are allowed against public agencies under the Pennsylvania Sovereign Immunity Act, the amount you can recover is $250,000 per person up to $1 million per accident if multiple casualties are involved, as appears to be the case in this recent ambulance collision. While this cap may seem generous and sufficient to cover most cases, it can be insufficient after a serious injury that involves significant medical expenses, permanent disability, and a loss of vocational skills or quality of life.
Skilled Legal Representation Is Essential in Complex Accident and Injury Cases
After any traffic accident or personal injury caused by another’s negligence, getting skilled legal representation is always recommended. It is well established that people who are represented by an attorney get bigger recoveries than people who aren’t, so if getting the most compensation for your claim is important to you, hiring a lawyer to represent you is almost always the way to go.
Legal representation is especially important in more complex injury cases, which include accidents involving claims against municipalities, including SEPTA bus accidents, a trip and fall on government property, or a collision with an ambulance. An experienced and successful personal injury attorney will know how to handle a claim involving a public agency, including investigating who is liable, pursuing the appropriate party in a timely manner, and meeting all the requirements of the applicable Tort Claims Act. Government agencies will turn down claims that don’t meet the legal requirements or follow their byzantine rules and procedures.
Contact Benedum Law After a Personal Injury in Philadelphia
If you or a family member has been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, trip and fall, or other accident or injury caused by another’s negligence in Philadelphia, contact Benedum Law in Chestnut Hill for a free consultation. There’s no fee until after we are successful in recovering compensation for you.
