What Happens If a Car Hits Your House?

Contrary to what most of us think, events of vehicles crashing into houses and buildings are not rare. Have you ever imagined what would you do if something similar happens to your home? There are enough reasons to be worried about such incidents. So, you should react like any other car accident victim. In other words, if you live in the Lebanon, Oregon area, then you should get in touch with a reputable accident lawyer in Lebanon, OR to ensure you get the legal representation you deserve. Read on to know more.

Why Do Cars Crash into Homes?

You are unlikely to experience events involving a car breaking into your living room. However, events such as a car hitting your house or crashing into your garden are not that rare. Here are some factors that may trigger such incidents.

  • Extreme driver fatigue (when the driver falls asleep while driving the car)
  • Vehicle malfunction
  • Drugged or drunk driving
  • A sudden medical event like a stroke or drug side effect
  • Hazardous roadway or poor design of road

The police may test the vehicle causing the accident. It’s common for them to find that the accident occurred when excess speed caused the driver to lose control. This usually forces the driver to drive in the wrong direction and hit someone’s house. One of the biggest problems with these accidents is that they make homeowners wonder who will pay for the damages. Will they be able to rely on their homeowner’s insurance? Or the driver’s insurance policy will cover the damages?

Liability Issues

The compensation you deserve would vary depending on which part of your home was hit and how badly the car hit your home. You may need to spend several hundred to thousands of dollars on repairing your home.

To get all the money back, you will first need to determine who you must hold liable for the accident. Usually, the person driving the car is the one liable for these accidents. So, you will have to press him for compensating you.

However, there are instances where the homeowner himself hits his home. Even when a homeowner is liable for the accident, he can claim for some kind of compensation. For example, if you hit your home after taking a certain medication, you may claim compensation from the drug manufacturer. Your accident lawyer in Lebanon, OR will have to prove that the medicine resulted in dangerous side effects and left you dizzy.

Role of Insurance Companies

If the driver is responsible for causing the accident, he should be the one paying for the damages. So, there’s nothing wrong if you expect the insurance company of the driver to pay a certain amount as compensation. That’s something we see happening after most car accidents. However, things turn out to be quite different when a car hits a house. That’s primarily because the coverages offered by insurance companies are often not enough for repairing the victim’s home.

You will be in bigger trouble if the driver doesn’t have any insurance. In such cases, you will have no option besides filing a claim from your insurer. Having a lawyer to assist you will ensure that you get what you deserve.

Post Author: Cedric Walker