Accidents happen to everyone, and that means that they can happen to police officers, and more. So what happens when you get into a car accident with a city employee?
You may have tons of questions, and we’re hoping that we can clear up some of the more common instances. We’ll start with questions about incorrect or possibly negligent signs, city vehicles, and then address how you should file a complaint. Few realize that the city must carry insurance for liability and related to that insurance, which is the liability for car accidents and injuries resulting from car accidents.
Incorrect or Negligent Signage
The Nevada Department of Transportation has clear rules on appropriate signage and sign handling. But what happens when the signs are misleading or outright incorrect? What happens when construction zone signs have sat there for weeks without any sign of a construction crew? Is it time to take your matters further?
Clark County regulations state that the property owner, often the city, would be notified to remove the signs within 90 days. So who will notify them? Often no one notified the city because the general belief is that the city knows that the construction is complete or on hold. Three months is also a long time to allow an “open trench” sign to remain up when there is clearly no open trench, or a reduced speed limit sign when there is no construction activity.
City Vehicles — Buses, Police Vehicles, and More
Have you ever been involved in a crash with a police vehicle, city bus, fire engine, or ambulance? It’s ridiculous to think that it’s possible, but it happens all the time. First, you have training accidents. Someone has to learn to drive these massive vehicles. Then, you have instances of an unavoidable collision, such as a chase or an ambulance blowing through an intersection. Not everyone can stop in time, even when traveling at normal speeds.
Typically you’ll have to wait a long time, possibly hours, for another officer to arrive on the scene. They’ll conduct a police report, tell you to file an insurance claim as usual, and that the city will take over the claim from there. That’s really the easiest way to manage a claim when it comes to city officials or employees behind the wheel. They do fall under the vicarious liability segment that means that their employer, the city or county, is responsible for their behavior behind the wheel.
How to File a Complaint and Claim
Unlike other cities or counties, it is not easy to report or file a complaint with Henderson. They want to know the complaints about the failures of local business owners and such, but when it comes to their officers, drivers, or other elements of the city’s duty of care, they seem to make it exceptionally difficult.
So where can you start? The ideal place to start is with your own insurance policy. Filing a claim and noting that the city was at fault may raise some eyebrows, but it’s the only way to move it forward. You can also file a complaint with the city, for their negligence or the negligence of their employee. To accomplish this, you might carefully consider filing a lawsuit first. Yes, the city does carry liability insurance, as does the county, however it seems that it’s incredibly difficult to file a claim without opening a lawsuit directly.
Clark County, and the City of Henderson, Nevada, have made it clear on their information online that they would like to avoid all complaints regarding their negligence whenever possible.
Finalizing Your Lawsuit Against the City of Henderson
It might seem unlikely, but suing the city for a car accident injury is very similar to filing a car accident claim. While you will initially notify your insurance provider, much of the process will go through the city as a complaint and then as a finalized lawsuit. What we mean by this is that there is a clear divide between filing your complaint and taking the city to court.
Most complaints against the city go without a response. However, inaccurate signage and trouble with city employees as drivers do lead to car accidents. After you experience a crash involving some element of the city of Henderson, consider hiring a personal injury attorney. At Christian Morris Trial Attorneys, you can access guidance, support, and resources to take the city head-on.
