Automobiles now come with more advanced technology than ever before. Cars are fitted with technology aimed at improving safety, convenience, and overall driving experience. Automatic emergency brakes, lane-keeping assistance, and advanced airbag systems are only a few examples. New technology will continue to change the way accidents occur and the way the insurance claims process is handled. If you have been involved in a collision, knowing how the technology in the involved vehicle will affect your case is vital. Car accident lawyers in Olympia will help you with this case.
The Role of Technology in Vehicle Safety
The focus of automotive technology is now more heavily geared towards accident avoidance mechanical functions and occupant protection. Each of the following is an example of a safety technology that has been developed:
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): Brakes a vehicle to avoid hitting an obstacle.
- Lane Departure Warning and Lane-Keeping Assist: Alerts and, if needed, takes control of the steering wheel to avoid a lane departure.
- Blind Spot Detection: Alerts a driver of a vehicle in the adjacent lane to avoid a side collision.
- Adaptive Cruise Control: Automatically controls the following distance to avoid a rear-end collision.
- Advanced Airbag Systems: Adjust the inflation based on the severity of an impact and the position of the occupant to help minimize injuries.
The complexities introduced by these features are intended to reduce accidents.
The Role of Vehicle Technology in Accident Claims
1. Identifying Culpability
When advanced technology is involved in an accident, determining blame may become complicated. For instance, if an automated braking feature is in use during a collision, investigators may assess possible system malfunctions, ignored warnings by the driver, and the involvement of third parties in the accident.
Every vehicle equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR) keeps an accident log. Right before an accident, the EDR records braking, steering, and acceleration rates and other commands. These logs are key to determining liability, although they may require expert testimony to ascertain the proper context for the determination.
2. Adjustments by the Insurance Company and Settlement Offer
When determining a settlement, an insurance company may take into account the technology present in a vehicle. Advanced safety technology may reduce the perceived risk and, therefore, affect the amount likely to be claimed. Of course, technology that fails during an accident shifts responsibility to the driver, allowing the insurance company to argue that they should be less liable for the accident.
The Value of Expert Witnesses
Claims involving modern vehicles will need expert testimony. Automotive engineers and accident reconstructionists can explain how particular technologies worked during the event and help determine if a system worked properly or if a malfunction played a role in the accident.
The Complications of Autonomous and Semi-autonomous Features
The legal implications of semi-autonomous features like Tesla’s Autopilot or General Motors’ Super Cruise are problematic. When control is automated or partially automated, and an accident occurs, the question of whether the driver or the vehicle’s system is responsible becomes very complicated. Liability involves a careful examination of system limitations and driver behavior patterns.
Common Mistakes After an Accident Involving Technology
The opportunity to preserve crucial electronic evidence in modern vehicles is frequently squandered. Losing or deleting dashcam recordings, sensor data, and EDR logs is detrimental.
Insurance adjusters probably do not understand how vehicle technology affected your accident. Without your statement being reviewed by an attorney, you may provide too much information or inaccurate information, leading to an unnecessarily low settlement.
3. Ignoring Expert Analysis
Attempting to deal with claims by yourself without the needed expertise can lead to multiple issues such as wrongly interpreting information, overlooking potential evidence, and developing poorly substantiated legal claims.
How a Lawyer Can Help
A competent car accident lawyer Lakewood will help you with the unique complications presented by claims involving sophisticated new technologies in vehicles. Here’s how a lawyer can help you:
- Evidence Maintenance: Ensuring that EDR logs, dashcam footage, and other digital information are safely maintained.
- Expert Coordination: Partnering with automotive engineers and accident reconstruction professionals to ensure data interpretation is correct.
- Insurance Negotiation: Ensuring insurance companies provide reasonable offers that consider the vehicle and the accident’s circumstances along with the injuries.
- Liability Analysis: Determining whether the accident's cause was human error, a technological error, or a combination of both.
Tips for Protecting Your Rights After a Modern Vehicle Accident
- Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Timely documentation of injuries will help your claim.
- Collect Evidence: Photos, witness statements, and other digital data from your vehicle.
- Avoid Admitting Fault: Statements, especially minor ones, can be damaging if taken out of context.
- Consult an Attorney Early: Lawyers are best placed to identify how evolving vehicle technology influences claims and protect your interests.
Conclusion
While the Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies can improve vehicle safety, the technologies can also complicate the vehicle accident injury claims process. Recent innovations in motor vehicle technology, such as event data recorders (EDRs) and semi-autonomous systems, motivate the need for advanced expertise in diagnosing and resolving personal injury claims in today's automobiles.
The importance of the technologies to the personal injury claims process means that people involved in motor vehicle collisions need to be aware of the claims impact more than ever. Advanced technologies safeguarded in an Olympia car accident will ensure that the advocate can defend your case, protect your rights to fair compensation, and provide the necessary help on your claim fully.
