In the past week, there have been two car accidents in St. Joseph involving police cars. These incidents are extremely problematic for the non-officer, especially if they were severely hurt. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is even more important than normal.
2 Car Accidents Involving St. Joseph Police Officers
The first accident happened around 3pm on Thursday, April 29, on King Hill Avenue. While police said that no one was hurt, the pictures of the crash show significant damage to the police cruiser.
The second accident happened two days later, just after noon on Saturday, May 1. This crash happened at the intersection of Massachusetts Street and Pryor Avenue. Both the police officer and the driver of the other vehicle were brought to the hospital.
Police Investigate Their Own Crashes
Police investigate car accidents and file a police report about what happened, even when the crash involved a police officer. That leads to some strong conflicts of interest. While the police should investigate crashes involving their fellow officers with an unbiased eye, the reality is that police officers can face discipline or reprimands or could even lose their job if they drive recklessly or unsafely and cause a crash. In theory, systemically covering up the bad driving habits of fellow cops would mean that a police officer could count on a favorable police report if they ever cause a crash.
This could save their job.
So when police claimed that the second crash in St. Joseph was caused by the other driver failing to yield at a stop sign, there are reasons to be suspicious of the findings.
Personal Injury Lawyers Do Their Own Investigations
This is why it is so important to hire a personal injury lawyer if you have been in a car crash with a police officer – even an off-duty one. Attorneys conduct their own, independent, investigation into the accident. This goes beyond just relying on the police report for the details of the wreck.
Especially when the crash involved a cop, personal injury attorneys know to follow-up with any witnesses to the accident, to make sure their statements in the accident report match what they actually saw. Attorneys will also analyze pictures of the crash and any vehicle damage to make sure it matches the crash described in the report.
If the officer was actually the person who caused the crash, they and their department should be made to compensate the victims for their losses.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
The attorneys at the Smith Law Office can help victims who have been involved in a crash with a police officer and who suspect that it was the cop who caused the accident. By conducting a full and independent investigation, we can ensure you get the compensation you really deserve.
Contact us online or call our law office at (816) 875-9373.