Accidents between cars and snowmobiles are dangerous because of the lack of protection that the snowmobile rider has. Regardless of who is at fault, there's a considerable chance that the snowmobile rider will end up with a serious injury after a collision with a vehicle. If you're a motorist who has recently been in this type of accident, you may face a lawsuit from the snowmobile rider. It's important for you to build a defense with the help of a car accident attorney. Here are some details that your team will attempt to prove in an effort to win the case.
The Snowmobile Rider Didn't Yield
A collision between a car and a snowmobile usually takes place on the road, and both parties may argue that they had the right of way. In many communities, there are specific snowmobile crossing areas, but this doesn't necessarily mean that a motorist has to stop in the same manner as he or she might do at a pedestrian crosswalk. Your attorney's investigators (with your help, based on your recollections of the event) will work to prove that the snowmobile rider didn't yield to you. If he or she simply accelerated into the roadway, leaving you with no time to stop, the onus of blame will be on the rider.
The Snowmobile Rider Wasn't Visible
Snowmobile riders are required to use lights when they ride at night, as this is the best way for them to be visible. If you're a motorist who was in an accident with a snowmobile, it's possible that you didn't see the snowmobile because it didn't have its light turned on or perhaps because there was a problem with the light. This situation can work to your advantage because the rider has a responsibility to make himself or herself visible to those on the road.
The Snowmobile Rider Was Under The Influence
Alcohol use is a factor in many snowmobile accidents, so your accident attorney will want to check the police report to determine whether the snowmobile rider failed any field sobriety tests or Breathalyzer test at the scene. If so, this will augment the strength of your case, because your attorney will be able to argue that the snowmobile rider's consumption of alcohol hindered his or her ability to drive safely. For example, the rider may have been traveling at an excessive speed or may have failed to heed warning signs about approaching a roadway.
Speak with accident and personal injury attorneys if you have been involved in an accident with a snowmobile.
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