Being that self-driving cars are the latest innovation in the industry, there are little data surrounding them. With that, this is somewhat of an uncharted territory for insurance companies and legal professionals when it comes to accidents involving self-driving cars. Continue reading to learn who is liable for a self-driving car accident and how one of the experienced Howard County car accident attorneys at Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates can help you determine fault.
Who is responsible for a self-driving car accident?
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, the responsible party may be a self-driving car manufacturer, a software developer, the driver behind the wheel, or even all three. Examples of negligence that each party may have exhibited for your accident to occur are as follows:
- A self-driving car manufacturer:
- Failing to check for faulty brakes or other mechanical parts before sending cars out to dealerships.
- Failing to send recall notices to drivers when a mechanical malfunction is detected.
- A self-driving car software developer:
- Failing to check for faulty software systems before sending cars out to dealerships.
- Failing to send out a software update when a glitch is detected.
- The driver behind the wheel:
- Failing to stay alert when using the self-driving feature (i.e., sleeping, texting, eating, etc).
- Failing to regain control of the vehicle when necessary.
What steps should I take in the event of an accident?
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your accident, the responsible party and their insurance company are responsible for compensating you for the injuries and damages you have suffered. And if they refuse to give you the full payment that you deserve, then you may want to pursue legal action and file a personal injury claim.
For your claim, it may be in your best interest to take the following steps immediately after your self-driving car accident:
- Call local law enforcement on the scene so that an official accident report can be conducted.
- Take photos and videos of your injuries, damages, and other cars involved in the accident.
- Collect the contact information of other drivers involved in your accident, especially their insurance company information.
- Collect the contact information of present witnesses on the scene so that they can provide testimony later on.
- Attend the ambulance on the scene so that you can receive medical documentation of the type of injuries you incurred and their severity.
- Attend follow-up appointments with your physician as directed so that you can receive additional medical documentation and doctor’s notes.
Last but not least, you must retain the legal services of one of the skilled Howard County auto accident attorneys. Importantly, you must do so before the state of Maryland’s statute of limitations, which is usually three years from the date of an accident. So do not hesitate in calling Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates today.
