A car accident in St. Joseph involved several parked cars, and highlights how crash victims do not have to be in the vehicle to suffer losses in an accident.
Driver Loses Control and Hits Parked Cars
The incident happened in the early morning on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, on South 11th Street between the Monterey and Duncan Street intersections.
According to the initial reports of the crash, the driver lost control of her vehicle and hit a car that was parked on the street. The crash pushed the parked car into the vehicle in front of it, which was then pushed into a fourth car. The driver’s car jumped the curb before coming to a rest in the front yard of a house.
No one was in the parked vehicles at the time of the crash.
The only injury was the driver of the vehicle that hit the parked cars. She was taken to the hospital with injuries that do not seem to be life-threatening.
When a Car Accident Damages Your Parked Car
The possibility of a car crash damaging your parked vehicle is a real one for anyone who parks on the street. In densely-populated areas like St. Joseph, that is nearly everyone.
The good news is that these crashes rarely result in personal injuries. Only if you were in your parked car or were near it during the collision are you likely to get hurt.
The bad news is that these crashes still impact your life by taking away your vehicle while it gets repaired. The costs of repairing the damage—or replacing your car if the damage was severe—can quickly reach into the thousands of dollars.
Worse, many of the drivers who crash into parked cars panic and leave the scene of the accident. Despite this breaking Missouri’s law against hit-and-run accidents, many drivers who take the risk are not caught. This leaves the unfortunate owner of the parked car in a predicament: Without knowing who hit their vehicle, they cannot get the compensation they deserve from the person who caused the crash.
Insurance Implications of a Parked Car Accident
If the culprit is never found, you can still suffer at the hands of your insurance company if they raise your insurance rates after your parked car was hit. Even though these accidents are almost never your fault, insurance companies can still raise your premium by claiming the accident makes you seem more accident prone.
Worse, if your insurance policy has a high deductable, you could find yourself paying thousands of dollars before your insurance contributes anything to help you get back on your feet.
St. Joseph Personal Injury Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
If your parked car has been damaged by another driver, you can benefit from the help of the car accident and personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office. They can fight for your right to compensation from the negligent driver. Call their St. Joseph law office at (816) 875-9373 or contact them online.