Police officers are provided with some allowances when engaging in a car chase in Columbus, Ohio. However, these police chases can put their communities at risk if they choose to pursue a fleeing party through a residential neighborhood or a crowded street.
Even so, should you suffer property damage or personal injury as a result of a police chase in Columbus, Ohio, and should you not be the party that the police pursued, then you may have the opportunity to bring a civil case to court on the basis of police misconduct.
Ben Crump Law, PLLC can help you take legal action against a police officer should that officer inflict damages on you. For a free consultation, call (844) 730-0233.
Legal Allowances Given to the Police
In most states, including in Ohio, police officers h ave sovereign immunity law working in their favor. This means that police officers cannot be charged with negligence lawsuits.
However, this does not mean that you cannot file a civil case against a police officer should you suffer personal injury or property damage due to their behavior. Instead, you will have to go about building a civil case in such a way that it does not include negligence in your charges.
For example, if you do want to pursue a civil case against such a party, you could argue that the officer in question engaged in reckless behavior while behind the wheel of a car. In such a case, you would address the police officer’s behavior in the same way that would address the behavior of your average driver. This means that per the Legal Information Institute (LII), you – or any Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyer you choose to work with – would have to prove:
- Duty of care
- Violation of duty of care
- You have suffered injuries due to the other driver’s actions
Duty of Care in Columbus, Ohio
All drivers who take to the road are entitled to a duty of care by all other drivers on the road. This means that drivers must use a reasonable amount of caution when sharing the road with other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, such as obeying stop lights, stop signs, and other signs that are designed to control the flow of traffic.
Of course, when you bring a police officer and a police chase into the question of duty of care, you also have to account for the allowances provided to police cruisers mid-chase. Drivers on the road who are not involved in the case must still pull over to the side of the road and avoid behaviors that might hinder the chase.
Violation of Duty of Care
With the duty of care established by day-to-day behavior on the road and the exceptions provided to police officers, you can go about presenting evidence that an officer violated the duty of care they owed you. This is your opportunity to explain your losses to an attending court and present an estimate of what compensation you believe you may be owed.
In doing so, you can work with a Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyer to return to the scene of the accident and investigate for evidence. You can also reach out to eyewitnesses who saw the chase take place and request their testimony regarding your losses.
Evidence of Recklessness
You can also work to bring forward evidence suggesting that the police officer who you believe to have inflicted losses on you engaged in reckless behavior that put the public at a greater risk than that presented by the driver the officer pursued.
Examples of evidence suggesting reckless behavior of the responsible police officer include but is not limited to:
- The time of day the chase took place and the number of drivers anticipated to be on the road
- The severity of the offense which the pursued party is believed to have committed
Thus, if the party that a police officer pursued rolled through a stop sign, they have committed a roadway offense. However, that kind of behavior does not merit a police chase if such a chase would put pedestrians in danger. Comparatively, violent theft at a bank may allow for a chase to grow more violent, but even then, you can discuss what rights you have available to you with a Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyer.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC to find out more about gathering evidence.
For a free legal consultation with a police chase accidents lawyer serving Columbus, call (844) 730-0233
What a Columbus Accidents Caused by Police Chase Lawyer Can Do for You
Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyers can provide you with legal counsel and representation after your involvement in a police chase accident. If you choose to take action against such a party, for example, a lawyer can help you determine which path is best for you to take in order to pursue compensation: that which sees you file a formal claim or that which sees you issue a demand letter.
Complaints may be effective when you face damages incurred by police officers, but you may want to discuss your situation with a Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyer to determine which may be most effective for you.
Columbus Police Chase Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
A Columbus Accidents Caused by Police Chase Lawyer with Ben Crump Law, PLLC Can Help You Recover
It is important to make sure you file your lawsuit on time. Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §2305.10 dictates that you have two years to do so. A Columbus accidents caused by police chase lawyer can help you file your lawsuit within this given time frame.
Ben Crump Law, PLLC operates on contingency. We will not charge you for the legal counsel you seek out after an accident with a police officer involved in a car chase. Instead, we can help you bring together the documents you need to build a civil case, all the while helping you focus on your recovery.
For a free consultation, call (844) 730-0233.
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