Phoenix Electric Vehicle Crashes Lawyers
Electric vehicles may be high-tech, but they can be especially dangerous in an accident. Their high-voltage batteries can ignite, cause electrocutions, or lead to significant burn injuries. So, when another driver causes an electric vehicle to crash, the at-fault driver might prove liable for any injuries and damages. However, another party, such as a manufacturer, may also be liable. Because these crashes can be devastating and complex, you may want to have a lawyer on your side.
At Gallagher & Kennedy, a Phoenix electric vehicle crashes lawyer from our team can review your case and help you understand your options based on the circumstances. When we work with victims in these cases, we identify all potentially liable parties and file claims using the evidence we gather to support our clients’ cases. Contact us today to learn more during your free consultation with our team.
Our Phoenix Electric Car Accident Attorneys Represent Accident Victims
At Gallagher & Kennedy, we have familiarity with the unique challenges of collisions involving Teslas and other electric vehicles. As a result, we know how to navigate this claims process, identify the liable parties, and recover compensation for our clients.
Electric vehicles are still fairly new. Not everyone—including many first responders—knows the dangers. We represent clients hurt in these accidents because of the additional fire risk and electrocution inherent in their batteries.
We Know How to Take on Big Cases
Our Phoenix injury lawyers navigate high-profile claims and lawsuits regularly. We have many record-setting verdicts and settlements in our portfolio and continue to accept major, ground-breaking cases in Phoenix and nationwide.
Some recent car accident case results include:
- $10 million settlement for a child hit by a distracted driver
- $4.5 million in compensation for a client hit by a commercial truck
We also have extensive experience and success in navigating product liability cases related to car accidents.
Some recent results include:
- $17 million verdict against General Motors for a defective transmission that caused a woman’s death
- $9.9 million settlement in a wrongful death case based on a stuck throttle
- $4.5 million settlement for a woman hurt by a defective seat failure in a collision
- $3 million settlement for a client hurt by a defective tire
What You Can Expect From Our Lawyers
While we have the resources of a large firm and do not back down from any corporation or defendant, we keep our focus on each client’s unique needs.
When we go to work on an electric vehicle crash case, you can expect your car accident attorney to:
- Answer your questions and provide updates
- Manage all communication about the case
- Protect your rights and focus on your best interests
- Build a strong case against the liable party or parties
- Handle your claim or lawsuit and represent you throughout
- Represent you with no upfront fees or attorney’s fees unless we secure a payout
You can learn more about your case, legal options, and our services during a free initial consultation with our team. We provide these case reviews to crash victims and others hurt in electric vehicle incidents. We can also answer questions about our fees during this conversation.
Our Phoenix Car Accident Lawyers Understand Electric Vehicle Crash Cases
At Gallagher & Kennedy, our team is familiar with the unique aspects of electric cars and the accidents involving them. We know how these vehicles can ignite, reignite, and lead to electrocution hazards after an accident. We can document what happened and help our clients seek compensation.
Are Electric Cars More Dangerous in a Crash?
In many cases, an electric vehicle crash happens like any other auto accident. One driver acts carelessly behind the wheel and causes a crash, injuring someone else. However, some electric cars carry additional safety risks. During a four-month period, 11 electric car crashes resulted in five deaths. Ten of these vehicles were manufactured by Tesla. It was unclear to what extent the technology itself was responsible for these accidents; however, in other cases, the evidence has been more clear-cut.
In a recent year, a Tesla vehicle’s self-driving mode allegedly caused the car to rapidly decelerate, causing a chain reaction of collisions. While accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems and other functionalities of electric cars are rare, they can lead to serious injuries.
Additionally, an electric vehicle will occasionally lead to additional damage or injuries, which may harm drivers, passengers, and others at the accident scene, such as first responders.
When this occurs, our attorneys can review your legal case with you. We can determine your options for obtaining full and fair compensation and who might prove liable for your injuries and losses.
What Types of Compensation Can You Seek in an Electric Car Crash Case?
In general, victims hurt in an electric vehicle accident can recover compensation that includes:
- Medical care costs and related expenses
- Future and ongoing care costs, such as plastic surgery for disfiguring scars or treatment for extensive burns
- Income losses for time missed working
- Diminished earning ability if you cannot return to your previous job
- Property damages, including replacement of your vehicle
- Miscellaneous-related expenses with receipts
- Pain and suffering and other intangible damages
You could seek other types of damages beyond those listed here.
When an accident victim passes away from their injuries, the surviving family can pursue a wrongful death claim or action. Their family can receive compensation for lost income, their loved one’s final medical expenses and funeral costs, and intangible losses. Our attorneys are adept at handling these cases and encourage you to contact us if you need help after losing a loved one.
Understanding the Concerns With Phoenix Electric Vehicles After a Crash
At Gallagher & Kennedy, we handle all types of collision cases. We also see many cases related to defective automobile design or parts manufacturing. Based on recent evidence, we can conclude that electric vehicles have many advantages when compared to gasoline-powered cars. However, we are also keenly aware of the dangers posed by high-powered lithium-ion batteries, as studied by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
What Happens to Electric Car Batteries in a Crash?
The Li-ion batteries used in Tesla vehicles and other electric cars have an extremely high energy density. When damaged, these batteries are at an increased risk of:
- Exploding
- Igniting and being difficult to extinguish
- Reigniting later
- Causing electric shock
These risks put accident victims and those who respond to them at an increased risk for injuries such as:
- Significant burn injuries
- Smoke inhalation
- Exposure to fumes and caustic chemicals
- Electrocution
In some cases, this results in catastrophic and life-threatening injuries. In addition, the dangers go far beyond those involved in the crash. The risk to firefighters is significant enough that the U.S. Fire Administration issued guidelines for first responders and wants owners of these vehicles to be aware of the dangers.
Of course, not all accident victims will know what to expect if one of these cars is involved in a crash. If you face serious injury because of an electric vehicle fire or electrocution, we can help you make your case.
Our Attorneys Can Determine Liability in a Phoenix Car Accident Case
At Gallagher & Kennedy, we handle traffic accident cases daily. Your car accident lawyer will investigate the collision, identify the at-fault party, and pursue damages on behalf of our clients. In general, they occur because of one driver’s carelessness or recklessness. Therefore, we must show how the accident happened due to that person’s negligence.
In any personal injury case, proving negligence involves these elements:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Harm
In most crashes, a driver violates a traffic law, and this causes the collision. Our client suffers injuries, expenses, and losses as a result. Therefore, we need to gather evidence to show what happened and document their damages to recover compensation based on their expenses and losses.
You could face heightened injuries and damages because of a fire in the electric car’s battery. While the vehicle driver may bear liability for causing the crash, in some cases, the auto manufacturer could also bear responsibility.
Auto Manufacturer Liability
When it comes to electric vehicle crashes, other forms of negligence can lead to an accident beyond simple driver carelessness. Many people wonder if a car’s battery or design defect made the accident worse. The answer depends greatly on the circumstances.
In some cases, auto manufacturer liability could play a role in an electric car accident. The company that made the car or battery could have shared responsibility for the damages. While electric vehicles must pass the same rigorous safety inspections as cars with internal combustion engines, they are a relatively new product. The current safety standards require additional testing to ensure their safety in the event of extreme temperatures or collisions, per the U.S. Department of Energy.
However, many people still have concerns about these batteries and products. They may more likely ignite, reignite, and may not extinguish without difficulty. The manufacturer might be legally liable when you face injuries because of these known issues. Our Phoenix team can assess your case and determine the options for seeking compensation based on the facts. We can seek a payout and hold all potentially liable parties legally responsible.
Let Our Electric Vehicle Crashes Lawyer Gather Evidence and Handle Your Case
The best way to get justice after a traffic accident is to recover compensation for your related expenses and losses. This prevents you from paying these costs out of your own pocket and ensures you do not suffer financially for an accident you did not cause.
Our Phoenix electric car collisions lawyer from Gallagher & Kennedy knows how to build a case for compensation. We identify the liable party or parties in your case, support our claim with evidence, and demand fair compensation.
In most of these cases, evidence could include:
- The police accident report
- Reports from firefighters and other first responders
- Eyewitness statements
- Photos or video
- An accident scene survey
- Accident reconstruction
- Relevant medical records
- Expert testimony
- Documentation of recoverable damages
We investigate what happened quickly after a victim hires our team. We must work quickly to preserve evidence and ensure we have a full picture of what happened before, during, and after the crash. Even small details can help prove negligence and liability in some traffic accident cases.
In more complex situations, we might need to call in experts on electric cars and others who can help us understand what happened and why. We might research similar accidents with the same model vehicle and seek other evidence to show why the car manufacturer shares the blame for your injuries and damages.
Regardless of how we approach your case, we can recover compensation for you by:
- Filing an insurance claim with the liable party’s insurer and negotiating a fair settlement
- Taking the case to a jury trial and seeking a verdict and award at trial
Most cases settle out of court, even when we sue the liable party. Once the insurance company gets into the discovery stage of the case of a suit and uncovers the evidence against their policyholder, they may more willingly negotiate and provide a fairer offer than they proposed previously.
Generally, you have two years to sue the liable party in a traffic accident case. This deadline applies regardless of whether we sue a driver, auto manufacturer, or another party. Missing this deadline could bar you from recovering damages in the case.
Discuss Your Crash, Injuries, and Damages With Our Phoenix Team
Phoenix Electric Vehicle Crash Attorney, Shannon L. Clark
At Gallagher & Kennedy, we provide free consultations. If you suffered injuries in a crash involving an electric vehicle, you could have a case against another driver, the car manufacturer, or another liable party. Our personal injury attorneys help clients prove their cases and recover compensation for their injuries, losses, and other damages. We can help you understand your rights and how our team approaches similar cases.
Contact us online or over the phone at (602) 530-8400 for your free consultation. You can discuss your case and legal options with our team today. We have someone available now to answer your questions.
Client Testimonial
“I wholeheartedly recommend Gallagher and Kennedy. I had the privilege of working with Shannon Clark and was impressed by his professionalism, kindness, honesty and integrity. I cant recommend him highly enough.” – Rachel Irvine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Gallagher & Kennedy — Phoenix Office
2575 E Camelback Rd, Suite 1100
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Tel: (602) 530-8400