If you spend any time driving in the agricultural areas in California, such as Tulare, Merced, Stanislaus, Kings, Kern, Fresno, San Joaquin, or Madera, you are sure to have seen a large number of cows grazing in fields that line the roadways. For those used to this site, there is little attention given to these animals that can weigh, on average, from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds. But for drivers from the city, who are not accustomed to seeing these animals, they are often amazed at their size. The average cow can weigh one-third to half as much as the average Prius. And if that cow gets loose on the roadways, the resulting accident can cause severe damage to the vehicles involved and harm any passengers.
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in an accident with a cow, there is a great deal that you need to understand about the California laws involving a vehicle accident that involved a cow. For example, you are required to stop, call 911, contact animal control if the officers are not doing so, and provide your information to the first responders on the scene. It is also wise for you to immediately begin documenting everything from the damage to your vehicle and the surroundings to the harm or injuries to the cow, as you might have grounds for a lawsuit. If you suffered injuries as a result of the accident, please seek immediate medical care and a complete medical evaluation to ensure all injuries are documented and treated by a medical professional.
Once you have returned home and are certain you have gotten any medical care needed, we encourage you to reach out to the office staff at Normandie Law Firm. Our staff can be reached around the clock to help you understand your rights as the victim of an injury or damage incident involving a cow that was loose on the road. In addition, during your initial call, our pros will assist you in booking your free consultation with a skilled accident with a cow lawyer at Normandie Law Firm. During your free consultation, you will relate the facts of the incident to your lawyer and answer any additional questions they have about the accident. Once they have all the facts, they will provide you with a complete evaluation of the legal merit of your case and, if you have the ability to file a lawsuit against the owner of the cow, secure compensation for your losses and expenses caused by the incident.
With this valuable information, you will be well-prepared to begin making wise and well-informed choices about legal action that will best meet your immediate and long-term needs. But please also understand that you are never obligated to file a lawsuit regarding the car accident with a cow, nor are you required to hire Normandie Law Firm to handle the matter if it goes to court. We are only interested in providing accident victims with all the information they need to make informed decisions about legal action, including ensuring they understand the time limit that may apply to their ability to pursue legal action regarding the car accident with a cow. Please get in touch with the team at Normandie Law Firm today to discuss your case and the time remaining for you to use the legal system to secure any compensation that is owed to you before it is too late.

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Who Is Responsible For A Stray Cow?
Raising cows is a significant industry in parts of California. The areas focused on dairy production have thousands of head of cattle on properties that are adjacent to the local roads and highways. In these cases, it is the obligation of the owners to contain the cows in a fenced space that will keep them from becoming a safety hazard for drivers. In short, California is not an open-range state, meaning the cows are not permitted to be loose or run at large. They must be contained by fencing. In addition, it is the owner’s obligation to maintain the fencing to ensure the cows remain within the enclosure. If the owner fails to keep their cows reasonably contained on their property and out of the roadways, they can be found negligent and held accountable for the losses and harm caused by the cows that cause a car accident.
What Is Comparative Negligence?
California is a comparative negligence state, meaning the blame for a certain incident can be shared between multiple people. For example, in the case of a car accident with a cow, the driver of the car could be partially to blame for the incident if it is determined that they were speeding or driving in a reckless manner. The owner of the cow is still partially to blame for not containing the animal. In these cases, the legal system would determine the amount or percentage of blame placed on each party, and the compensation responsibility would be shared in the same proportion. If the cow owner were found 80% to blame while the driver held 20% of the blame, the cow owner would only be required to pay the driver 80% of the compensation sought in the lawsuit.
It is common for animal owners involved in these cases to seek only partial liability to help reduce the amount they must pay to the driver. With the help of the experienced car accident with a cow lawyers at Normandie Law Firm, clients have a far better potential to receive full compensation for their losses and expenses. Please get in touch with our dedicated staff today to learn more.
The Potential Harm Caused By A Car Accident With A Cow
Knowing that a cow can weigh half as much as some cars and is a large animal by any standards, the harm it causes on impact can be significant. It is not uncommon for a cow to cause massive damage to a car and also cause the car to run off the road. In these cases, when the vehicle is pushed or turned to veer off the road surface, the possibility of the driver and any passengers suffering significant injuries seriously increases. In these cases, the harm sustained by vehicle passengers can include one or more of these significant injuries:
- Broken or shattered bones
- Compound fractures
- Severe lacerations and puncture wounds
- Damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
- Back, neck, and spinal cord damage
- Partial or complete amputations and crushing injuries
- Facial harm to the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and delicate skin on the face
- Dislocated joints and the destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joint
- Soft tissue damage and the destruction of nerve tissue in the area
- Head injuries that can range from a skull fracture or severe concussion to a brain bleed or other traumatic brain injuries
What Is The Average Compensation Amount For A Car Accident With a Cow?
It is critical for victims of a car accident with a cow to understand the basics of personal injury lawsuits and specifically, how the compensation is determined. The most vital factor is that each case is independently evaluated, and the compensation is awarded based on the actual losses and expenses of the victim. There are no predetermined compensation amounts awarded for these cases. As such, you will work with your Normandie Law Firm legal team to compile all the documentation to verify your allowable expenses used in the case valuation process.
The items that are typically used in this process include, but are not strictly limited to:
- The cost of all legal services related to preparing, filing, and litigating the cow versus car accident lawsuit
- The cost of all current and projected medical expenses related to the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of any harm caused by the incident
- The replacement cost of any personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the incident
- Your lost income if the injuries you suffer prevent you from working at your regular job until you are fully healed and cleared by your medical care provider to return to work and the duties it entails

How Long Do I Have To File A Lawsuit For A Car Accident With A Cow?
When you are filing a personal injury lawsuit due to an incident involving a car accident with a cow, the time limit to file your claim with the court is typically two years from the date of the injury incident if the case involves injuries as well as the loss of property. If there were no physical injuries, but you are seeking compensation for the expenses caused by damages to personal property, the time to file your lawsuit is a full three years from the date of the incident. The only other typical exception to these time limits is in cases where the victim, or driver of the vehicle, was a minor at the time of the incident. In these cases, the time limit to pursue legal action does not begin until the minor driver reaches the age of majority at eighteen. In these cases, they then are given either two years for a personal injury lawsuit or three years for a damages lawsuit to have their case filed with the court.
It is critical to know that the time limit provided to the victim to take legal action is strictly enforced. In addition, once the original time limit expires, the victim loses the right to seek any compensation for the losses and harm caused by that incident. Finally, there are very minimal exceptions to the time limit, which is known as the Statute of Limitations. Please reach out to Normandie Law Firm at your earliest opportunity to discuss your case and the possible lawsuit to seek justice and compensation for the losses caused by negligence as a result of a car accident with a cow.
No Added Stress From Legal Expenses
When you hire Normandie Law Firm to handle your car accident with a cow lawsuit, you never need to worry about how you will pay out of pocket expenses and fees. Our client-friendly payment policy has eliminated these challenges for our valued clients. We only get paid for our work and reimbursed for the fees we cover on your behalf once the case is resolved and you have the compensation needed to cover all your legal costs and other expenses. In addition, if your car accident with a cow lawyer from Normandie Law Firm fails to win your case and get you that much-needed compensation, you owe the firm nothing. Please get in touch with our diligent, hard-working team today to learn more about this option to resolve the issues arising from a cow owner’s negligence in containing their animals.
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