What To Do If You Hit An Animal While Driving

​A car collision is not an uncommon occurrence between cars and animals on the road. It could be a dog, cow, deer, horse, moose, rabbit, among others. If you hit one of those animals and acquire an injury, can you sue the owner? The answer depends on the circumstance. For sure, you cannot sue the animal itself as it has no insurance, especially a wild animal.
 
For example, a deer comes out of the woods, crosses the street, and you accidentally hit it. Even if you obtain a physical injury, there is no way you can sue. On the other hand, if you do hit a domestic animal, such as a horse, cow, or dog, then you can sue. But, it still depends on several factors.

YOU CAN SUE THE OWNER
The owner of the animal you hit is accountable for not being able to keep it on a leash or inside a fence. You need to find the owner of the domestic animal, as they are likely to have homeowner's insurance coverage for their animals.
 
WHEN YOU HIT A WILD ANIMAL
There are certain situations wherein you have no one to sue because you hit a wild animal, such as a moose, while driving your car. If you have suffered an injury, you can claim accident benefits for this.
 
You are entitled to this claim as this event is considered a motor vehicle accident. The amount of money you can get from the claim benefits will be based on the severity of your injury, whether catastrophic or not.
 
WHEN YOU HIT AN ANIMAL AND YOU HAVE A PASSENGER
If you are driving and you hit a wild animal, and your passenger obtains a physical injury, the passenger can sue you. But it depends if your driving causes the accident, for example, you got distracted or driving under the influence.
 
SAFETY TIP
If you are about to hit an animal, you have to think fast about your next action. Swerving to avoid the animal may cause another accident if you go in the direction of oncoming traffic, or you end up losing control of your vehicle.
 
You may attempt to slow down your car or hit your brakes to give the animal the time to leave your pathway.
 
CONCLUSION
The best thing that you can do while driving is to avoid hitting an animal. But, this is not guaranteed. Sometimes hitting an animal on the road is going to happen no matter how careful you are.
 
It is best to review your auto insurance policy and learn what you need about hitting an animal by accident.  At Cornerstone Insurance Agency, our mission is to ensure that we protect our clients and offer them policies that they can afford. Learn more about our products and services by calling our agency at (888) 661-8831. You can also request a free quote by CLICKING HERE.