Driverless Car Accident Attorneys in Nevada
Were You Injured in a Driverless Car Accident?
Driverless and autonomous vehicles are becoming part of the transportation landscape, but when an accident happens, determining what went wrong can be more complicated than in a traditional car accident. A collision may raise questions about the automated driving system, the actions of a human operator, vehicle components, software, maintenance, or the company responsible for operating the autonomous vehicle.
Nevada law specifically addresses autonomous vehicles, including vehicles equipped with automated driving systems, making these accidents an emerging area of motor vehicle law. The Courtroom Couple helps people injured in driverless and autonomous vehicle accidents investigate how the collision occurred, preserve important evidence, identify potentially responsible parties, and document the medical and financial impact of their injuries.
What Should You Do After a Driverless Car Accident?
The steps you take after an autonomous vehicle accident can help protect your health and preserve information that may become important to your claim. These cases can involve traditional accident evidence as well as electronic information related to the vehicle and its automated driving system.
- Get Medical Attention: Seek appropriate medical care and make sure your injuries, symptoms, treatment, and follow-up care are documented. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent after a collision.
- Report the Accident: Contact law enforcement and obtain information about the responding agency and accident report when available. Document identifying information for the autonomous vehicle and any company operating it.
- Document the Scene: If you can safely do so, take photographs or video of the vehicles, damage, roadway, traffic signals, surrounding conditions, and any identifying information showing that the vehicle was autonomous or part of a driverless fleet.
- Preserve Important Evidence: Keep photographs, witness information, medical records, insurance communications, receipts, and missed-work documentation. Depending on the vehicle and circumstances, electronic data, system information, vehicle records, surveillance footage, and other technical evidence may also become important when investigating what happened.
Who May Be Responsible for a Driverless Car Accident?
Determining responsibility for an autonomous vehicle accident may be more complicated than identifying which driver caused a traditional collision. The investigation may need to establish whether the vehicle was operating autonomously, what the automated driving system did before the crash, whether a human was controlling or monitoring the vehicle, and whether a vehicle or technology problem contributed to the collision.
The Human Driver or Operator
Some vehicles use automated technology while still involving a human driver or operator. Depending on the circumstances, the actions of the person operating or controlling the vehicle may need to be examined when determining how the collision occurred.
The Autonomous Vehicle Manufacturer or Technology Company
When the automated driving system was controlling the vehicle, the investigation may involve the manufacturer, developer, or other company responsible for the autonomous technology. Nevada’s autonomous-vehicle framework expressly contemplates automated driving systems and manufacturers or developers of that technology.
The Company Operating the Driverless Vehicle
Some autonomous vehicles are operated as part of commercial transportation or driverless fleets. When one of these vehicles is involved in an accident, the company responsible for operating, managing, or maintaining the vehicle may also need to be investigated.
Other Drivers & Responsible Parties
The presence of a driverless vehicle does not necessarily mean its technology caused the crash. Another motorist, a maintenance provider, a vehicle or component manufacturer, or another party may have contributed to the collision. The Courtroom Couple investigates the available evidence to determine what happened and which parties may bear responsibility.