If most motorists had to choose between being in a single-car accident and a collision with another driver, they might select the former. Of course, no one wants to be in an accident, but the idea of only your vehicle being damaged often sounds less serious than finding yourself on the side of the road with a damaged vehicle and another motorist facing the same. It's important to realize, however, that single-vehicle accidents are serious and regardless of the damage to your vehicle or any injuries that you could incur, you could face legal action depending on where the accident took place. You'll want to hire a car accident attorney if your accident resulted in these things.
Private Property
A single-vehicle accident can often cause damage to private property. It could be something as simple as losing control of your vehicle on a slippery road and knocking down someone's mailbox to something more serious such as driving into a house because you were traveling too quickly and couldn't stop in time. There's a high probability that the property owner will prepare to sue you to recover the costs of the damage, so having an attorney on your side is your best bet for fighting this suit.
City Property
It's also possible for your single-car accident to result in damage to city property. For example, if you knocked down a series of signs, destroyed a guardrail, ran into a bus shelter, or otherwise damaged or destroyed a similar type of fixture, you can soon expect the city to come after you legally. And, depending on the exact circumstances of your accident, you could be looking at a hefty bill to cover the damage. An experienced car accident attorney may be able to negotiate a favorable settlement.
Injury To Your Passenger
If you were carrying a passenger in your vehicle and had a single-car accident, it's possible that he or she may have been injured. Even if this individual is a close friend, you should be wary of him or her taking legal action against you to cover the cost of the injuries and provide compensation for any pain and suffering incurred. For example, if the friend can't work for several months while recovering from the injury, he or she may want a settlement from you that offsets his or her lost wages. A car accident attorney will look over the circumstances of your single-vehicle accident and advise you how to best proceed.
For more information, contact a law office like Randall A. Wolff & Associates, Ltd.