Livestock Vehicle Accident Attorneys in California

Award-Winning Representation for Victims of Accidents Involving Cows, Horses, and Other Livestock

Car and truck accidents in California aren’t only caused by reckless driving and motorist negligence. In fact, due to California’s little-known reputation as a farming and ranching hub of the western United States, a significant number of car and truck accidents involve vehicle collisions with livestock such as cows, horses, and other large animals.

Many underestimate the size and strength of livestock in California. If you’ve been the victim of a livestock accident, you likely know the damage and injury that can result from hitting a cow, horse, or other livestock animal with your car or truck. If you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident with a cow or horse in California, you have legal options when working with a BD&J livestock vehicle accident attorney to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, car repairs, and more!

Call BD&J at 855-906-3699 or fill out our online form to learn more.

Key Takeaways

• A livestock accident in California occurs when a vehicle collides with an animal like a cow, horse, pig, or sheep.
• California law prohibits loose livestock on highways with fencing (CA Food and Agri Code § 16902).
• Possible liable parties in a livestock accident may include the property owner where the livestock resides, the livestock farmer, or even another driver.
• BD&J livestock accident lawyers are here to represent you tirelessly in a legal claim.

How Do Livestock Cause Accidents?

Farming and ranching in California have long been a source of necessary income and food for California residents and customers across the country. Agriculture is a key part of California’s diverse culture and spirit. In fact, the most recent data shows that livestock in California grazes across 32 million acres of both private and federal rangelands.

With such a concentration of farms and ranches in locations like the Central Valley, livestock often roams freely as they graze large swathes of farmland, often crossing highways and local streets unsupervised. Not only do drivers not typically anticipate the presence of livestock on the roads, but they may also attempt to avoid these animals instead of stopping, potentially spooking the cows and horses attempting to cross and causing unpredictable behaviors and movements.

Unless you’ve been near a cow, horse, or other livestock animal in person, it’s difficult to imagine the size and power of these animals. For example, the average cow can weigh around 1,300 pounds. A frightened cow, bull, or horse can cause major damage to even the sturdiest car and truck in a vehicle collision, possibly also causing injuries to the driver and their passengers.

Types of Livestock Accidents

In seconds, a vehicle striking livestock can lead to serious consequences. Common livestock accidents the team at BD&J has seen include:

• Direct collisions with livestock
• Impacting a stationary object while swerving to avoid a livestock animal
• Hitting another vehicle while avoiding livestock
• Impacting the livestock at a certain angle causing a rollover accident
• Multi-vehicle pileups

Trucks and cars may end up being no match for livestock animals, whether alone or in a herd. This is especially true when a vehicle is speeding, which can make it harder to stop in time and increase the overall energy in an impact.

Complete our online form to connect with an attorney after an accident on the road with livestock.

Do I Still Have a Case if I Was on a Motorcycle?

Absolutely. Motorcyclists are much more exposed than the average car or truck driver, which means that the impact of a motorcycle accident with a livestock animal or with a stationary object while avoiding an animal can lead to much more serious injuries for a motorcyclist, particularly brain and spine injuries.

Can Livestock Damage Trucks in Accidents?

Trucks may seem nearly indestructible to most car drivers, but a cow, bull, or horse can easily cause severe damage to large trucks in truck accidents. Livestock truck accidents may typically result in the death of the livestock animal, but the truck and its driver often still walk away with major damage. The severity of livestock accidents can vary widely depending on:

• The animal that was struck
• The vehicle involved in the accident
• The speed in which the vehicle was operating before impact
• The structure of the road

Trucks should always look carefully at the side of the road in case of livestock accidents, just like personal cars. A livestock accident attorney in California can help you determine the extent of your car or truck’s damages, as well as any other economic or noneconomic damages you may have incurred from a vehicle collision with livestock.

What to Do After a Livestock Accident

The aftermath of a livestock accident can be adrenaline-filled, confusing, and overwhelming. Doing the following can ensure the accident is reported and your wellbeing and that of your passengers is protected.

1. Get to a safe area of the road when you’re able to, like a shoulder.
2. Check yourself and passengers for any immediate injuries.
3. Call 911 to get an officer response and medical intervention at the scene.
4. Do not approach the injured animal in case of an aggressive response.
5. Check on any other vehicles involved.
6. Document the scene by taking photos and videos of the road, the animal, your vehicle, and any injuries.
7. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Do I Have to go to the Hospital After an Accident if I’m Not Feeling Any Symptoms?

Many people avoid going to the hospital after an accident because they don’t feel pain or other telling signs of an injury. It’s always recommended you go to the hospital after an accident, even if you don’t have any injury symptoms. Some injuries can take days or even weeks to fully manifest symptoms.

What Kind of Injuries Are Common in Livestock Accidents?

Livestock car accidents can often cause a surprising number of detrimental injuries. Angry or frightened livestock can attempt to injure you or damage your car or truck further if they view you as a threat.

While it is still far more likely to get into a car accident with another vehicle, even out in farmland, car collisions with cows or horses are still a source of injury and property damage in California. The most common injuries livestock accident victims receive are:

• Whiplash
• Bruising
• Organ damage
• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury

If you are involved in a livestock vehicle collision, a livestock accident attorney in California can help you determine where liability lies and how much you may be eligible to receive in compensation.

Contact the livestock vehicle accident lawyers at BD&J for a free consultation!

What Kind of Livestock Are Involved in Car or Truck Accidents in California?

Generally, only the largest and most powerful livestock animals are involved in collisions with cars or trucks. This is because smaller animals like sheep, goats, and pigs are often kept in designated pens.

Larger animals like cows, bulls, and horses are usually allowed to roam a fenced pasture or freely wander in unfenced land. Regardless of how the animal is usually cared for, it remains the farmer’s responsibility to maintain the safety of their livestock and drivers who may be driving past their property.

Are There Any Laws for Loose Livestock in California?

Definitely. California law dictates the responsibility of livestock handlers when it comes to keeping livestock free from roaming in certain areas and heightening the risks of an accident. These laws include:

CA Food & Agri Code § 16902

This regulation states that a person who owns or controls livestock shall not willfully or negligently allow the livestock to stray on a public highway, especially if both sides of the highway are adjoined by property that is separated from the highway by a fence, wall, hedge, sidewalk, curb, etc.

CA Food & Agri Code § 17121

This code enforces that a good and lawful fence is one meant to be substantial and prevent the entering and exiting of livestock. It also states that no wire fence is considered good and lawful unless it consists of 3 tightly stretched barbed wires securely fastened to posts of reasonable strength.

CA Veh Code § 21759

This section states that a driver is expected to exercise reasonable control when encountering a livestock animal while on the road, including reducing their speed and stopping when necessary to safeguard the livestock and livestock handler.

It is up to a livestock handler and property owner to ensure livestock fences are up to code, and that livestock can roam within their designated areas. California laws are set in place to promote the safety of livestock, their owners, and other drivers.

When a California code is ignored and results in an accident, you have legal rights. BD&J livestock accident injury lawyers are here for you, call 855-906-3699.

How Much Can I Get for an Injury Caused by a Livestock Accident?

Because the size of the livestock animal and the vehicle involved in the accident can be so varied, it’s difficult to identify a specific amount of compensation our clients should expect. However, if injuries are severe and damage to your vehicle is extensive, regardless of the wellbeing of the livestock that caused the accident, you can generally expect a recovery of anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

A couple of the damages compensated in a livestock vehicle accident may include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Vehicle repairs or vehicle loss
• Loss of income
• Physical rehabilitation or assistive medical devices
• Pain and suffering
• Psychological trauma
• Punitive damages in the case of extreme neglect or prior similar violations

Who Could Be Responsible for a Livestock Accident?

Liable parties for a livestock accident can vary, but may include:

Property Owner

A property owner responsible for fencing and maintaining the area where livestock roam may be liable when unmaintained fencing and other hazardous conditions cause a livestock vehicle accident.

Livestock Handler

A livestock farmer or handler could be liable if a lack of training, negligence, or failure to ensure all livestock is accounted for could be responsible in the aftermath of an accident.

Another Driver

A driver who is speeding, not paying attention while on the road, and fails to stop in time causes a hazard for other drivers, especially when they fail to pay attention to wandering livestock. They may be responsible for the damages that follow an unexpected accident.

Not sure who’s responsible for your accident? BD&J is the California law firm you can call!

How Do California Livestock Personal Injury Lawyers Help?

Livestock personal injury lawyers are specially trained to handle complex cases in which liability may not be as straightforward as in a typical car accident. These California attorneys help you investigate the cause of the livestock accident, collect evidence to support your claim against the farmer or rancher, and pursue maximum compensation.

While you’re recovering from your injuries, a BD&J livestock accident injury lawyer can help with:

• Filing your claim within the statute of limitations and in the right jurisdiction
• Collecting evidence that supports your case
• Using attorney resources like accident reconstruction software and expert witness testimony
• Communicating with all other involved parties and their legal representatives
• Negotiating a fair compensation that accounts for current and future expenses
• Advancing case costs to get your claim going under a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fees until we win*
• Being in your corner through every step of the legal process

5 Things to Avoid After a Livestock Accident to Help Your Claim

A legal claim can be a complicated and delicate process, and it’s always best to know what to avoid to keep your lawsuit as smooth as possible. Livestock claims in particular can bring significant questions about liability and compensation, so you should avoid the following for the sake of your personal injury case:

1. Avoid apologizing after an accident, even if the livestock animal is badly hurt or deceased, because apologizing after an accident is commonly seen as an admission of guilt.
2. Don’t skip the hospital, because some injury symptoms take long to show and delaying medical treatment can affect your health and your personal injury case.
3. Close that social media platform, because making posts or commenting about your accident on a social media platform is ultimately public knowledge that can be used to contest your case and injuries.
4. Stay attentive to the statute of limitations, because claims presented after 2 years from the date of incident (6 months if government entities are involved) are no longer eligible for compensation.
5. Avoid accepting the first insurance settlement offer, as initial offers are always lowball offers that don’t take into consideration Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), pain and suffering damages, and other future expenses.

Talk with a BD&J California livestock lawyer to discuss other ways to help your case!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Animal Causes the Most Car Accidents in California?

Despite California’s thriving livestock and farming industry, deer are actually the most destructive animal in California. In fact, more than 48,000 deer die each year from vehicle collisions – more than twice the number of deer deaths from hunting and over 10% of all deer fatalities.

What Are Open-Range Areas, and How Do They Affect My Claim?

Open-range areas are free areas where livestock may roam. While California law dictates the enforcement of fencing, the state leaves counties to implement ordinances where areas of land may be used for grazing livestock. In this case, property owners who don’t want livestock entering their property are tasked with building fences to keep livestock in, and livestock legally have more freedoms to roam and graze.

This may affect liability after a livestock accident, but speaking to an attorney can give you more information.

Does My Insurance Cover Hitting a Cow or Horse in a Car Accident?

It depends on the type of car insurance coverage you have. If you have comprehensive coverage, your policy likely covers collisions with livestock and other animals. If you only have collision insurance, you may not be covered.

Can I Be Fined for Hitting a Cow or Horse With My Car?

In some situations, yes. Cows, bulls, and horses are considered property by California law. If you hit and injure a livestock animal, you could be fined for destruction of property.

Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Was Partially at Fault for a Livestock Accident?

Definitely. This is because California recognizes pure comparative negligence, which means a person who had some fault for their accident can still recover a reduced amount.

Who is Liable if a Cow or Horse Causes a Car or Truck Accident in California?

Liability varies widely between cases. That’s why we always make sure to investigate each case thoroughly to ensure you are receiving fair compensation and the right parties are being held accountable.

How Are Car Accidents Involving Livestock Different than Normal Personal Injury Cases?

While most personal injury cases following car or truck accidents are fairly straightforward with only one or two parties involved directly, livestock personal injury lawsuits are trickier to investigate due to the indirect nature of the collision. Legally speaking, a collision with a farmer’s cow or horse is actually a collision with their property which can result in a few extra hoops during your cases.

How Soon Should I Speak with a Livestock Accident Lawyer?

You should speak with an attorney as soon as you’re medically cleared from your injuries and ready to start a claim. Remember, it’s best to act fast and file your claim while evidence is still available, witnesses are still reachable, and your memory is still fresh.

Do I Have to Talk to an Insurance Company Alone?

Not at all. In fact, you should avoid giving recorded statements to an insurance company until you’ve spoken to an attorney.

A lot of insurance companies may attempt to use your words against you or try to minimize your compensation amount using your prior statements.

Are BD&J Attorneys Bilingual?

Absolutely! Our attorneys are dedicated to providing clients with the legal help they need in English, Spanish, French, Farsi, Arabic, Armenian, Russian, and Hebrew.

Where Can I Connect with the BD&J Team?

BD&J has offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Sacramento. We’re ready to help Californians injured in serious accidents hold parties accountable and recover the compensation they deserve.

And don’t worry if you can’t make it to our offices. BD&J attorneys will come to you wherever you are!

How to Find a Livestock Car Accident Attorney in California

Livestock accident lawyers in California are not nearly as common as typical car accident attorneys. While it may be a relief to know there is legal help near you after a livestock collision, it still pays to find the right lawyer for you. The following steps can help you:

1. Find a lawyer with great results. – A lawyer does you no good unless they are successful in their work. Ensure that the lawyer you are interested in consulting with has won cases frequently and consistently and for the maximum compensation.
2. Check their previous cases. – Award amounts are a great place to start, but you also want to know that your livestock accident attorney has a track record of real cases like yours.
3. Search for positive reviews. – Many people are familiar with looking for only the best reviewed service providers, and hiring a lawyer is no different. You want to know that previous clients felt heard, understood, and cared for during their case.
4. Book your free consultation. – Scheduling a free consultation with an attorney can help learn more about their work experience, and how they could handle your case. Remember, not only is this an opportunity for them to learn about your accident, but also for you to decide if this attorney will be the right fit to represent your story.

Connect with the BD&J team now to book your free initial consultation.

Helping Drivers Navigate Livestock Vehicle Collisions Since 2007

California is no stranger to livestock vehicle accidents. As a state built on agriculture, livestock roaming is a common occurrence. But it remains up to the farmer or rancher to protect others from their large livestock. At BD&J, we understand that livestock accidents are shocking and traumatic, but we can help you collect the evidence you need to demand fair compensation.

Our attorneys are dedicated to helping injured Californians recover the damages they deserve after a sudden accident, having achieved over $3 billion* recovered in client compensation. If you were hurt in a livestock vehicle collision, contact us to schedule a free consultation 24/7.