If a car is towed because it was illegally parked, the owner will have to pay to get it back. However, if the vehicle has been damaged due to the negligence of the towing company, the company can be found liable. Generally, towing companies have a duty of care to ensure that any car they tow is kept in the same condition in which it was found. If a person suffers an injury because of the towing company’s negligence, the company can also be held liable.
Tow Companies and Liability for Damage
If someone suffers injuries during a tow, the tow company can be found liable. In general, when a tow truck is on the highway, the driver has a specific duty to exercise care. Tow trucks are heavy and clunky vehicles that transport cars from one place to another. A towing company could be found liable for injuries to other people on the road in the event of an accident.
If a tow truck was changing lanes and the truck struck a car while doing so, the company could be found responsible if the driver and passengers from the other lane were injured. A tow company can also be found liable when the tow truck driver is negligent or when the tow connection is hidden or difficult to discover. Generally, the tow connection must have warnings or lights in such a situation.
Of course, the tow truck driver is also required to give proper signals when approaching other vehicles, as well as an indication that it is towing a car. If the driver fails to do this, it can be used as evidence of negligence.
What if a Car Is Damaged in the Tow Yard?
If a car is damaged while in the tow yard, or if items inside the vehicle are stolen, the tow company can be held liable for negligence or breach of contract. The towing company is required to use a reasonable duty of care that anyone else in a similar situation would use. Security must be a top component in the tow yard to ensure that the contents of a vehicle are kept safe and secure. That means there should be security personnel, gates, and lights in the yard. If contents are stolen from a car, the potential risk of the items being stolen must have been “foreseeable” in order for the tow company to be considered liable. In other words, the items should be in plain sight when the car was towed.
How a Tow Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
Negligence in an accident often leads to severe injuries. A person who gets hurt can suffer tremendous loss, even if they are healing from a few broken bones. Missing time from work can impact your financial state as you sit in the hospital receiving treatment you didn’t budget for. A dedicated personal injury attorney can help you recover for:
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Past and future medical bills
- Reduced quality of life
- And more
It’s important for anyone who suffers injury or damages due to the negligence of a tow company to have an attorney on their side. Lawyers have the proper knowledge and understanding of laws and statutes and can help plaintiffs to recover the compensation they deserve.
