On Thursday, June 12, 2014, an unusual accident occurred in Northeast Kansas. The accident involved an automobile and a horse. That evening, Vicki Barbara Self was traveling on U.S. 75, north of Holton. There was a horse in the roadway, and Self’s vehicle collided with it. The impact of the vehicle threw the horse into the air, and it landed partially on the roof of the car and partially on the windshield. Vicki Barbara Self died as a result of the crash, and the horse was also killed.
The tragic accident described above is an example of what can happen when a car collides with a large animal such as a horse, cow, deer, or elk. It is estimated that approximately a million and a half car accidents are caused by animals each year. The aforementioned accident occurred at night, at a time when one would not expect for a horse to be out in the roadway. Many accidents involving vehicles and animals occur at night, because animals are harder to see at night than they are during the day. Also, some animals are more active at night, which creates a higher probability that they will be in or near the road. Deer, in particular, are very active during hunting season. In wooded areas or places where vegetation near the road is tall, animals can appear suddenly; leaving motorists with little time and space to avoid hitting them. Also, many animals travel in groups, so if you see one deer by the road, look carefully to see whether there are others in the area.
Sometimes, accidents involving a vehicle and a large animal are fatal, because the size and weight of the animal make for a very forceful impact. Animals which are thrown into the air can go through windshields or even crush the roof of a car, resulting in serious injuries or death for the occupants of the vehicle as well as the animal. If you are in a situation where you are about to hit an animal that has wandered into the road, do your best to avoid hitting it, as your life may be in danger if you do. If you cannot avoid the crash completely, try to hit the animal at an angle so that it will be pushed away from the car as opposed to being launched into the air and on top of the car.
If you collide with an animal and you survive the crash, your car may be badly damaged. Depending upon the type of car insurance that you have, the damage which was caused by the accident may be covered. Sometimes, claims for damage caused by accidents involving animals must be supported by a police report before the insurance company will pay them. It is a good idea to call the police after an accident involving an animal for that reason, but also, perhaps more importantly, because the animal will need to be moved from the road and it is dangerous to do that yourself, especially if it is still alive. If the accident involves a domestic animal like a cow or a horse which has an owner, the owner of the animal will be responsible for your damages, usually through their homeowner’s insurance policy.
If you or someone that you love has been injured or killed in an accident, an experienced Kansas Personal Injury Attorney can help you to recover both physically and financially from your accident. To learn more about how a Kansas Personal Injury Lawyer can help you to obtain the settlement that you deserve, please call our Wichita office today at (316) 264-1548.
