It’s a traumatic experience to hit a dog or other animal with your vehicle. That’s why it’s critical to understand what to do and how your insurance may apply. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance will, in most cases, cover any damage to your vehicle. If you’re found to be at fault for the accident, your liability coverage may cover the dog’s vet costs and other charges, depending on the circumstances.
Does car insurance cover when you hit a dog?
Damage to your car caused by a dog or other animal is covered under comprehensive coverage. After filing a claim, you would pay your auto insurance deductible, and your insurer would cover the rest of the repair costs. Your insurance company may also contact the dog’s owner and request that their homeowners insurance company cover the cost of your vehicle’s repairs. This happens when the pet owner is determined to be at fault because their dog was out of control at the time of the accident.
What happens if a car hits a dog?
It is the responsibility of the dog owner to keep their pets under control. As a result, if a dog runs loose outside and is hit by a car, the driver is not accountable. The owner could be cited and held liable for failing to care for their pet and allowing them to run loose outside.
If the crash was partially caused by your negligence, you could be held accountable for the pet’s value.
In most places, pets are considered personal property, thus hitting a dog with your car and then fleeing is deemed property damage, which can result in a criminal charge.
You could face charges of animal cruelty or failure to inform the property owner of harm.
You will be obligated to stop and report the accident as well as assist the animal in every state. If the owner is not present, you should contact an animal control agency, the local police department, or even 911.
Will insurance cover if I hit an animal?
Comprehensive auto insurance is designed to protect your vehicle from damage caused by events other than collisions. This covers losses caused by fire, theft, vandalism, natural disasters, and, yes, even animals.
Who is liable if a car hits a dog?
Experts estimate that 1.2 million dogs perish on American highways each year, with many more suffering serious injuries. A dog can provide a hazard to drivers that is nearly hard to detect until it is too late, therefore it is frequently not the driver’s fault when something goes wrong. The regulations governing these accidents differ by state, but in California, certain rules apply. Learn what you should do if you hit a dog in California, as well as how and when you may be held responsible for its injuries.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that dogs are more than just living beings. When you hit one of these creatures, you are endangering the property of someone else. You can often avoid issues later on if you keep that simple assumption in mind.
California Vehicle Code Section 20002, “Permissible Action: Duty Where Property Is Damaged,” applies when you hit someone’s dog. If your vehicle causes property damage (including a dog), you must legally stop as soon as it is safe to do so. Then you must make reasonable efforts to locate the property owner and show your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and home address. Of course, if the owner is around, this is simple, but if the dog is alone, you may not know how to proceed.
If you can’t find the owner, you should leave a note with these details somewhere near where the accident happened. A judge will usually rule that you took all reasonable steps if you contact the local police station to report the accident. You can always phone the California Highway Patrol if you’re not sure which department to contact. If you do not follow these steps, you may be charged with a misdemeanor, which might result in a jail sentence, a fine, or both.
If you accidentally hit and damage or kill another person’s dog, the owner may opt to sue you. If this occurs, the property owner will seek proof that your negligence was the cause of the accident and injuries.
To counter this claim, you’ll need the assistance of an expert car accident lawyer. These cases have a wide range of outcomes, and a court will carefully analyze each one on its own merits. If you went over the speed limit, especially in a congested area, or disobeyed a traffic regulation, such as driving past a stop sign, a judge may find you negligent.
As a result, your lawyer will need to show that the dog’s owner was careless. You may have a solid case if you hit an unattended dog. Unleashed dogs are a severe menace to drivers, and many accidents occur as a result of the animals darting in front of moving vehicles. As a result, if the dog’s owner violates a dog leash statute, a court may find that he or she was the one who caused the accident.
Dog leash restrictions vary by county, and some counties have different rules than others. For example, in Long Beach, owners must keep their dogs on a leash no longer than eight feet, yet in Livermore, loose dogs are permitted as long as the animal is under the owner’s voice control. As a result, depending on the location of the accident, you may have a stronger case if the owner violates one of these guidelines.
Negligence laws in California allow one party to sue the other for a percentage of the damages based on comparative negligence. If you hit a dog with your car, the dog’s owner may claim that you were partially to blame for the accident because you failed to meet your legal obligations. Even though the dog was not leashed, the owner may still claim comparative negligence if he or she has evidence that you were speeding or driving in an improper manner in some way.
This is just another reason why calling the cops after hitting an animal is a good idea. Without an accident record or any other police documentation, the dog’s owner may make claims that are difficult to refute later.
In California, if your car hits and injures a dog, you must follow the law. For further information or guidance, contact an experienced vehicle accident attorney (like those at Welsh & Welsh PC LLO).
What should I do if someone hits my dog with a car?
Drivers must stop if they hit and hurt or kill a domestic animal with their vehicle, according to the animal control requirements of the St. George City Code, Title 5, Chapter 2, Section 7-J-2. If the pet’s owner cannot be found, the motorist must contact animal control right away. It is against the law to fail to halt.
“Sometimes when people hit an animal, they panic and flee the scene,” April McManus, administrator of the St. George Animal Shelter, said. “But don’t leave; stay because you are not in danger.”
- Safely pull over to the side of the road. Stop as soon as you discover you’ve hit a dog or cat.
- Notify the police or the animal shelter. Motorists must contact the animal shelter in the region where the accident happened, or the police at the non-emergency number if the accident occurs after normal office hours (locally: 435-627-4300). An animal control officer or a police officer will be dispatched.
- If at all feasible, relocate the animal to a safe location. Move the animal out of the way of traffic if required to avoid being hit again or causing an accident.
- If possible, contact the owner using information from the pet’s tag. If you’re in a residential neighborhood and the pet isn’t wearing a tag, ask around at nearby residences to see if anyone knows who owns the animal.
- Wait for assistance to come. Keep the animal with you until the cops, animal control, or the pet owner arrive.
- Make a formal report. Once the pet has been rescued, inquire with the police about filing a report so you can document any vehicle damage. Pet owners in Utah are required to keep their animals under control at all times. Those who fail to do so risk being held responsible for any damage caused by their pet running free.
Can I sue someone for hitting my dog?
When it comes to pursuing compensation for the loss of your pet, you have three options.
Because every case is different, you’ll need to figure out which technique is ideal for you based on the specifics of your situation.
You can initiate a civil case against someone who has damaged or murdered your dog, whether on purpose or as a result of negligence. To recover any damages, however, there must be sufficient proof of malevolent intent or some degree of negligence. The form of compensation you receive and the amount you are authorized to collect vary widely based on your state’s laws, so consult an expert lawyer or your county clerk for details.
If the act was plainly malevolent and purposeful, a criminal lawsuit can be launched separately or in conjunction with a civil complaint.
If the individual responsible violated any animal cruelty laws, they might face jail time, community service, and/or a monetary fine. You may also be entitled to further compensation for emotional harm.
You can also go to small claims court if you can’t afford a lawyer or if you want to settle the case without paying a lot of money in court. The following are some advantages to tackling it this way:
Small claims court has the disadvantage of only allowing you to recover economic damages (or out-of-pocket expenses), not emotional or punitive damages.
So, you can be reimbursed for any vet fees and the cost of replacing your pet, but the recovery process ends there. You can normally only sue for a certain sum of money.
This number varies per state, so check with yours to see what the restrictions are. The maximum sum is usually between $2,000 and $10,000.
See this article from the Animal Legal Defense Fund for additional information on these possibilities.
Is hitting an animal considered an accident?
Determining who is to blame when an animal is hit depends on whether the animal is wild or tamed. Hitting a wild animal is almost always a no-fault accident, while failing to confine a domesticated animal may be the owner’s fault.
You may be partially at fault for an accident if you hit an animal while breaking traffic laws, such as speeding or running a red light. Our vehicle accident attorneys can assist you with this problem.