Have you ever driven through Charlotte or another big city and noticed the horse drawn carriages? The horses are beautiful and majestic. The person driving the horse looks regal in their top hat and coat. It is magical.
If you’re watching a romance movie, chances are, they’ll be a scene involving a horse-drawn carriage. People hire these carriages to drive them to their wedding. People propose on these horse rides. They scream romance and love.
There’s nothing romantical, however, about one of these carriages causing a car accident. Trying to navigate around the busy city traffic is hard enough. Add in slow-moving horse and buggies, and it can be a nightmare waiting to happen.
If you someone end up in a car accident as a result of one of these carriages, you may have a claim for damages. It really depends on who caused the accident. It also depends on how badly you were injured.
Your Charlotte car accident attorney can review your case and help determine if you have a claim or not. If the carriage driver was at fault, you will have to pursue them for damages.
How Can a Horse and Carriage Cause a Traffic Accident?
It almost sounds like a scene out of a comedy film. It’s hard to imagine that a horse-drawn carriage could actually cause a car accident. But, if you think about it, there are all sort of ways this could happen.
Some of the ways a horse and carriage could cause a car accident include:
- The driver loses control of the horse and it swerves into traffic
- The horse and carriage become detached and cause you to crash
- The driver tries to merge into traffic and hits your car
- The carriage rides into an intersection while the light is red
- The carriage driver makes a left-hand turn and fails to yield
If any of these things happen, it could cause an accident. Your Charlotte car accident attorney will review the facts of the case to see who was at fault. They’ll also review the police report to determine what evidence is needed to prove your case.
Your Charlotte Car Accident Attorney Will Need to Prove Negligence
As with any other sort of car accident, your attorney is going to need to prove negligence. Almost all car accidents are caused by negligence. To do this, your Charlotte car accident attorney will need to show the following:
- The carriage driver owed you a duty of care – This shouldn’t be too difficult. The carriage driver owes you the same duty of care as any other driver. They need to obey all traffic rules and use reasonable care. If they fail to do this, it may be negligence.
- The breached this duty – If you can show the driver did any of the things mentioned above, you will have proven that they breached their duty. This may be the hardest thing for your attorney to do.
- You were injured – Obviously, you have to be injured in order to file a legal claim. You can only recover damages for injuries you’ve actually suffered.
- Your injuries were caused by the driver’s breach – Your Charlotte injury lawyer does need to prove that your injuries were caused by the carriage driver’s breach. For example, if you already have a broken leg, you won’t be able to blame this on the carriage driver.
Who Will You File Suit Against?
If you get into an accident with a horse-drawn carriage, you’ll have to determine who you want to pursue. Your Charlotte car accident lawyer can help you do this. You will have to file a claim against the following people:
- The carriage driver and their insurance company
- The company that owns the carriage
- Any tourism company or management company that handles the horse and buggy
Whoever you do pursue, it is their insurance that will cover your damages. Your attorney will work hard to make sure that you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Skilled Charlotte Car Accident Attorney
If you do manage to get into an accident with a horse-drawn carriage, you should call a skilled Charlotte car accident attorney. They can review your case and let you know what it may be worth. They can also answer any questions you may have.
Call Ted A. Greve & Associates today and schedule your free initial consultation. And remember – you pay nothing until you settle your case.
