Syracuse, New York, Collisions With Animals

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and an American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorneys, Has Spent His Entire Career Standing Up for The Victims of Negligence. If You Have Been Injured in a Syracuse Accident That Was Not Your Fault, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Against a Negligent Pet Owner, an Irresponsible Agricultural Corporation, or Other Wrongdoer.

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While you cannot hold a deer liable for the cost of a collision, but that does not mean you have to pay the price for an accident that was not your fault. If another person, or party, owned the animal that caused your crash, they could be responsible for your recovery.

Since our founding in 2005, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has helped our clients obtain more than $250 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-800-529-5334 to speak to a car accident lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

An Overview Of Car Accidents Involving Animals The 3 Categories of Collisions

Deer and other wild animals regularly pose a risk to drivers throughout New York state.

However, even when animals wander onto the road, they do not always cause accidents in the absence of human error. Other motorists can make mistakes, sometimes contributing to any of the following categories of collisions:

1. Wildlife Collisions: Almost everyone in Upstate New York recognizes how dangerous wildlife can be. According to a recent analysis conducted by the American Automobile Association, Onondaga County has one of the highest animal-collision rates in the entire state. Most of these accidents involve deer, but smaller animals can also cause accidents. In some cases, motorists may injure themselves or others while trying to avoid an impending collision.
2. Domestic Animal Collisions: In Syracuse, dogs must always be on a leash unless on their owner’s property. However, not every dog owner takes their responsibilities seriously. If and when dogs are permitted to roam freely, they may wander into roadways, harass passersby, or attempt to chase vehicles—potentially causing an accident.
3. Farm or Agricultural Animal Collisions: Syracuse is the largest city in Central New York, but much of the surrounding Onondaga County is rural. Farmers can be found from Lysander to Fabius, and where there are farms, there are often animals. Although most farmers and ranchers go to great lengths to protect their animals from harm, inadequate maintenance could present a risk of escape.

Establishing Liability After a Crash

You may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit if:

1. Another driver hit you or forced you off the road while attempting to avoid a deer or other wild animal;
2. You were injured after hitting a dog, a cat, or another animal that should not have been in the roadway; or
3. You were injured after striking a farm animal or agricultural animal.

However, filing and winning a personal injury lawsuit can prove incredibly challenging, especially if an animal is involved. Every case is different, but you must typically be prepared to establish each of these elements:

1. Duty of Care: A duty of care is a legal obligation to act as a reasonable person would in a similar situation. This is most often accomplished by exercising a certain standard of caution. Everyone has a duty of care. If you are driving, your duty of care likely requires you to abide by the rules of the road and ensure that you do not violate the rights-of-way of other drivers. Similarly, a dairy farmer may have a duty to track their cattle and ensure that they do not trespass into a public roadway.
2. Negligence: A person violates their duty of care when they commit an act of negligence. This is termed a “breach of duty of care.” A driver might breach their duty of care if they swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid colliding with a small animal. In contrast, a dog owner may breach their duty of care by regularly letting their pet loiter on a sidewalk or in a roadway.
3. Causation: You can only obtain compensation for your injuries if you can prove that the defendant’s negligence was the direct cause of your injuries. This can be particularly challenging in cases involving animal collisions, especially if the animal’s owner was not aware that their pet had escaped or if they made a good-faith effort to recover it.
4. Damages: Every personal injury lawsuit must contain a request for damages or other remedies. In a legal context, “damages” are compensation paid or awarded for certain types of economic and non-economic loss. Your damages could include the repayment of your medical expenses, money for anticipated care, or the replacement of your lost income from work.

Establishing these elements might seem straightforward, especially if you have dashcam footage or an eyewitness eager to testify. But no matter how compelling your evidence may be, New York’s legal system gives defendants ample opportunity to mount the most vigorous defense they can afford.

Do not delay, and do not risk your right to recovery: call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 1-866-529-5334 to schedule your 100% free consultation and begin exploring your best options for effective legal relief.

Do Not Risk Your Right To Recovery: Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., Today

Accidents, injuries, and the high costs of medical care are a leading cause of financial hardship across New York and throughout the United States. Few families, even those who have saved diligently, can afford to pay the costs of a life-altering collision out of pocket, without any assistance.

Fortunately, you do not have to accept hardship or insolvency in place of compensation.

If you have been injured because of another person’s negligence, you have a right to recover damages for your:

1. Economic Damages: Your economic damages are the financial losses you have incurred as a direct result of the accident. They could include the money you have already spent on medical care, the costs of anticipated treatment, and the income you’ve lost while taking time away from work.
2. Noneconomic Damages: Your noneconomic damages are intangible harm you have sustained as a consequence of a crash or collision. They could include compensation for emotional pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, or permanently disfiguring injuries.

Unlike many states, New York does not limit damages in most personal injury lawsuits.

In other words, you could receive as much compensation as you need to reclaim your financial independence and begin rebuilding your life. However, your options for recovery will most likely be determined by the circumstances of your accident. The principles that apply to a no-fault insurance claim against another motorist are, for instance, very different from those that may apply if the defendant is an agricultural corporation or a local government body.

Do not take chances with your recovery: call Jed Dietrich, Esq., to speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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