On Feb. 2, a husband’s day was interrupted when he was asked to drive to Interstate 480 where his wife was stranded with a flat tire. Like any helpful husband, he complied with the request. As he was standing outside the vehicle on the driver’s side, an SUV crashed into him, severing both of his legs. He did not survive the injuries suffered in the collision.
Accident reports included accounts from the responding officers, the victim’s family members, witnesses and the driver of the SUV. Witnesses discussed the speed that the car was traveling, officers described the smell of alcohol on the driver’s breath, family members described the wife cradling her husband in her arms and the driver of the SUV said that there was “nothing else” he could have done to prevent the collision.
Let’s say that everyone in these reports was telling the truth about what they did that day, what they saw or what they felt. Even when people give an honest account of the day, those stories might differ.
Take the witness accounts from this case that described the speed that the SUV had been traveling prior to the accident. A retired Highland Hills police officer said the vehicle was going approximately 100 to 110 miles per hour, while other witnesses said it was more in the range of 80 to 90 miles per hour. Who’s right?
“Whose account is more reliable?” may be the more appropriate question. A personal injury attorney looks deeper into witness testimony to help prove that a driver was negligent in causing another’s injury or death.
For instance, maybe the retired officer worked on patrol. Maybe his account was more reliable because it was based on years of experience, on years of observing cars as they sped past his radar gun.
The details and the people matter in a case, whether it is argued in front of a jury or settled out of court. Those that are injured or those that lose a family member in a car accident Cleveland should discuss their situation with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Source: cleveland.com, “Vehicular homicide charges filed against man accused in I-480 crash that killed man changing wife’s flat tire,” Adam Ferrise, Feb. 10, 2014