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. While 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 car or truck accident with a cow or horse in California, you have legal options to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, car repairs, and more!
How Do Livestock Cause Accidents?
Farming and ranching in California has 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. With such a concentration of farms and ranches in locations like the Central Valley, livestock often roam 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. A frightened cow, bull, or horse can cause major damage to even the sturdiest car and truck in a vehicle collision, possibly causing injuries to the driver.
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. Livestock accidents can vary widely depending on the type of animal that was hit with your car or truck, the type of vehicle you drive, and the speed at which you were driving. 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 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 even attempt to injure you more 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
- 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.
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.
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 the maximum compensation.
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.
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.
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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Search for positive reviews. Many people are familiar with looking for only the best reviewed service providers. Hiring a lawyer is no different. You want to know that previous clients felt heard, understood, and cared for during their case.
Helping Drivers Navigate Livestock Vehicle Collisions for More Than 20 Years
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 can help you collect the evidence you need to demand fair compensation. If you were hurt in a livestock vehicle collision, contact us to schedule a free consultation 24/7.
