Did you know that car accidents involving security guards, security officers, and other private public safety personnel are on the rise? It’s true, and it makes sense, because governmental law enforcement personnel are responding to fewer and fewer calls, so the private sector has stepped up. Most of these security guards and security officers are competent professionals who are doing a very challenging job. However, there are quite a few who operate vehicles negligently and cause very serious accidents.
We’d like to thank our friends from Blaszkow Legal, PLLC for the following post about car accidents caused by security patrol vehicles and what you should do if you have been in one.
Steps To Protect Your Rights
If you have been involved in an accident caused by a security guard, there are many different things that you have to recognize so that you can make sure that your claim and you receive the compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.
Call The Police
Calling the police will document the crash with respect to time and location. Additionally, your 911 call is recorded. So if you forget things later, such as company name and license plate number, they will be recorded on that tape. Your attorney will be able to get those recordings as evidence in your claim.
Take Lots Of Pictures
Documenting the scene is extremely important. You want to take pictures of debris, your vehicle, the other vehicle involved, roadway markings, signs, nearby cameras, everything that you can think of. In a world of digital cameras, you cannot have too many pictures. It is equally important to make sure that you get a lot of pictures of the security vehicle involved. Security companies often contract with larger companies and sometimes may look like they are actually employees of that company and are not! One of the biggest companies, Allied Universal, has hundreds of contracts where they mark their vehicles for their client, rather than themselves. But sometimes you can see a small Allied logo on the back or rear of the vehicle. Get pictures of everything from every angle that you can.
Take Pictures Of The Security Officer
This is not done to harass, but because sometimes security officers will have a body camera or other recording device that is owned privately by that officer, rather than the company. Your lawyer will need this information to demand that that footage be preserved as evidence.
Go To The Hospital To Get Evaluated
A comprehensive trauma evaluation is recommended in all car accident cases, not just those involving security vehicles. You want to make sure that you get the correct imaging and medical care that you need to see what injuries you have.
Call An Accident Lawyer Near You
Contacting an attorney is going to be extremely important because evidence that is not preserved is lost. Security companies may try to obscure things, and your attorney can fight that. Some of these security entities are multi-billion dollar, multinational companies, and you want to make sure that you have someone on your side fighting just as hard for you as they are to protect their profits!
Avoid Speaking To Anyone Else
Remember, speak to an attorney, not to anyone else. Do not post things on social media that can be used against you. Call an experienced car accident lawyer near you today if you have been hurt in an accident caused by a negligent security guard or security officer.