A car accident in St. Joseph between a car and an ambulance left the ambulance suspended on an overpass. Multiple people suffered personal injuries in the crash. While it is unclear yet whether the ambulance was responding to a call at the time of the accident, even if it was, that does not necessarily mean that the car driver was at fault.
Car Accident Involving Ambulance in St. Joseph
The crash happened at approximately 7 a.m. in the morning on Tuesday, February 14, 2017. The two vehicles collided on the Frederick Boulevard overpass of Interstate 29. While initial reports do not mention how the accident happened, both vehicles were reported to have damage to their front ends, suggesting it was a head-on collision.
The accident tipped the ambulance sideways onto the overpass’ pedestrian walkway. There, it was stuck between the concrete barrier on the side of the road and the fence on the side of the walkway, suspended above the interstate, below.
Despite the harrowing scene, all of the passengers in the ambulance were brought to safety. Police and emergency responders were able to remove the ambulance from the precarious position and tow it away.
According to initial reports, there were several injuries in the crash. None of them are considered serious or life-threatening.
Accidents Involving Emergency Response Vehicles
Accidents that involve emergency response vehicles are not uncommon. According to numbers provided by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA) and Emergency Medical Services, there was an average of 4,500 ambulance crashes every year between 1992 and 2011.
Contrary to popular belief, you’re not automatically at fault if you get into a crash with an ambulance. Ambulance drivers do not have an absolute right to the road, even when they are responding to a call. Legally, they’re required to drive safely in the context of the situation. If they don’t follow through on this requirement, that could mean they’re being negligent. If they’re driving negligently and this leads to a crash, you could take legal action to get compensated for your losses.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Unfortunately, personal injury lawsuits are complex when an ambulance was involved. This is because ambulances are often owned by hospitals, which can be difficult to sue. If the hospital was a public one, you could even be suing the government. If this is the case, there will be a lot of procedural hurdles to overcome, because whatever compensation you stand to gain would come from taxpayers.
However, just because there are additional legal obstacles does not mean you shouldn’t protect your rights. If you were hurt in an accident with an ambulance and it was not your fault, you should be compensated. The personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office in St. Joseph know this, and work tirelessly to represent you both in and out of court to get the compensation you need. Contact us online or at (816) 875-9373 for the legal representation you need.