Limousine Accident Lawyers

What To Know About Limousine Accidents

Limousine accidents caused by a reckless driver or chauffeur can cause serious and lasting personal injury due to the large size and weight of the vehicle.

Limo accident victims may require immediate care in a hospital or emergency room and deserve the professional attention of a limo accident injury lawyer to help them.

Renting a limo is usually to celebrate a fun event like a birthday, graduation, proms, wedding, etc., but those events can turn tragic quickly if the limo is involved in an accident.

Passengers in a limousine rarely consider how dangerous an accident can be, especially when you are drinking and not wearing a seatbelt.

Common Causes For Limo Accidents

Driver error: Driver error on the part of a limo driver or chauffeur represents a significant percentage of all crashes.

This category includes accidents caused by a driver who is speeding, a driver who does not check his blind spot before changing lanes, and confused drivers.

Driver fatigue: Limo drivers work hard and have demanding schedules.

Driving for hours may be limited by law, but many drivers are still behind the wheel when they are tired or when they should be resting.

Long distance drivers can be in a limousine for days or weeks at a time with little time to break the monotony of the road.

This can result in a driver losing focus on the road and ignoring safe driving techniques, causing an accident.

Driving under the Influence: It is illegal in all states to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In California, commercial drivers are conducted at a different level than public ones and are allowed to have less alcohol in their systems.

This is because the size, weight, and strength associated with a limousine makes it an inherent danger to others along the way and causes a greater need for safety.

Drivers who operate a limo under the influence pose a danger to themselves and everyone else on the road.

Distracted driving: Limo drivers are like the rest of us, and sometimes they make mistakes like texting while driving or checking their FB page while driving.

Tire Blowouts: Old, worn and defective tires can blowout and cause a major accident. Read more about tire blowout accidents.

What To Do After Limousine Accident

Being involved in a limo accident can turn into a serious situation, below are some tips on what to do, or read in depth on what to do after being in a car accident.

Get medical attention – Anytime you are involved in a motor vehicle accident it’s a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional.

Call Police – while you are still at the scene of the accident it’s a wise idea to call the police and make sure a police report is taken of the accident. Be sure to ask for a copy of the police report and if  you think the police report is wrong you can fight it.

Collect evidence – Talking to witnesses, taking photos of the crash site can be very important to your accident claim. Try to exchange information with any witnesses and passengers, even the limo driver. And make mental notes about the weather, speed you were traveling, etc.

Contact lawyer – Once an accident happens with a limousine (or any commercial vehicle), usually there will be lawyers involved and you don’t want to fight the insurance companies alone.

Don’t talk to insurance companies – Speaking with insurance companies and their investigators before you hire a car accident attorney can hurt your case. Don’t do it. Call Avrek Law.

Types of Limos Rented

A limousine is made based on a car cut in half and then extended.

Usually either separate couches or just one run along the vehicle, J-shaped, and this replaces the seats that are in the car; the rest of the interior trim may be handmade.

You can add screens and design a party atmosphere between them.

In California, you can rent the following types of limousines:

• A town car is a historic car characterized by having four doors, an open front compartment and an enclosed rear compartment, usually a chauffeured car.
• A landaulet or landaulette has a body style similar to a town car, but with the passenger section covered by a convertible roof.
• A coupé de ville is a two-door carriage or motor car with either a side-by-side four-way window, where the rear seats are covered and without side windows, while the front seats are open or canopy with only a lightweight folding roof. Rear seat passengers can travel in privacy, as the windows at the back of the car are kept small.

Common Accidents With Limos

Head On collision: This is when the impact is received in the front of the limo, either in the central part or the front dimensions of it. The impact may involve two cars receiving damage to the front. Most limousines integrate absorbers in the bumpers and airbags that minimize the impact.

Rear End collision: This is one of the most frequent; it happens when the limo is moving at a faster speed than the vehicle ahead and does not keep a safe distance from it, causing damage to the limo’s front and to the rear end of the other vehicle.

Side Swipe: This happens when the limo hits the side of another vehicle on the road; it mainly occurs at the intersections of roads. This type of blow affects the stirrup, central parallels and doors. To reduce this collision, most limo manufacturers install protective bars on the doors and some more sophisticated side curtains, along with airbags in the doors.

Common Injuries in Limo Crashes

Due to the size and weight of a limousine, injuries that happen in a limo accident can be extremely dangerous compared to a typical motor vehicle or motorcycle accident.

In addition to wounds consisting of cuts, lacerations and fractures, injuries resulting from limousine accidents may include:

• Head and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain damage
• Injuries to the spine
• Paralysis
• Burns
• Abdominal Injuries
• Amputation

Who Is Responsible For Limo Accident

Limousine Driver: Most often limo accidents are caused by the negligent actions of the driver. From falling asleep at the wheel or just speeding, limo drivers involved in a crash can be help responsible for the injuries suffered by the passengers.

Limo company: Things like defective parts, hiring unqualified drivers or mechanics, etc. can make a limo company partially responsible

Manufacturers of limo: A limo manufacturer can be held responsible for an accident involving their limo

Drivers of other cars: Owners and drivers of the other cars involved in the limo crash might be at fault.

Do I Need a Lawyer if Injured in Limo Crash?

After a limo crash, you will need to get representation as soon as possible. Immediate investigation after a collision with a limousine is the most crucial aspect of the process.

Avrek Law has over 50 years experience and has recovered over $1 Billion for our clients. Call us at 866-598-5548.

Insurance companies representing limo companies often send investigators and their own lawyers to the scene as quickly as possible.

The investigators try to prove that the limo company is not responsible for the injuries or deaths that occurred. Contact us to find out what your accident claim might be worth.

Acquiring representation from an experienced lawyer is imperative – not only our own investigators inspect the scene of the accident, but we can also argue against the actions of the limo driver’s insurance company.

What Insurance are Limo Companies Required to Have in California?

A California limousine company needs a business license, a tax identification number, and a basic liability insurance.

Drivers may need additional license to carry passengers, so they need to check with the city government to see if any additional regional documentation requirements exist.

They may need contractor guild insurance as well.

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