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Who Is At Fault After An Accident Involving A Self-Driving Car?

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The idea of a self-driving car might seem like science fiction to some, but self-driving technologies have already been implemented to some extent. For example, self-parking cars are already on the market. However, if you are involved in an accident that involves a self-driving car, you might wonder who would be responsible for the accident if you were injured as a result.

Why Self-Driving Cars Are Becoming More Common

As the technology improves and the cost of self-driving vehicles becomes lower, these vehicles are no longer available only to those with a high income. One of the goals of self-driving cars is to remove human error. 

However, self-driving vehicles have made mistakes in the past such as failing to identify a pedestrian and stopping the vehicle in time to avoid hitting the pedestrian. With many self-driving cars, there is still a human operator who has some control over the vehicle and might be at fault for the accident, such as with a self-parking car.

How to Determine Who Is at Fault

To successfully file a claim after an accident with a self-driving car, you will need to determine who was negligent at the time of the accident. Then, you will be able to seek compensation from the party that is at fault.

With a self-driving vehicle, the driver behind the wheel might misuse the self-driving technology and be considered at fault. However, in other cases, the technology that the driver was using simply failed and the manufacturer could be held responsible for a faulty machine.

Product Liability

The manufacturer of a self-driving car is responsible for any harm that the car causes if a personal injury attorney can prove that the car was defective and that the defect caused you to become injured. As a result, you will need to take legal action against the company and pursue a settlement based on the damages you have suffered.

To determine the damages you have suffered, one of the most important steps to take is to receive medical treatment. This will create medical records that will establish that you were injured as a result of the accident. 

With these medical records, your personal injury attorney can help you pursue a settlement against whichever party is at fault for the accident whether this be the individual operating the vehicle or the company that designed the self-driving system. If you are not able to reach a settlement, you can always take the responsible party to court. Reach out to a personal injury lawyer to learn more. 


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