Recreational Vehicle Accidents

Recreational vehicles (RVs) offer people the convenience of transportable living quarters, and many people throughout Cape Cod enjoy them while on vacation or partaking in other activities. A large number of the people operating RVs are inexperienced, though, and their inability to handle them is a frequent cause of accidents. Due to their immense size and weight, recreational vehicle accidents often cause catastrophic injuries or even death. People hurt in such crashes may be able to recover substantial damages. If you were injured in an accident with an RV, it is in your best interest to consult a lawyer to discuss your potential claims. The knowledgeable Cape Cod car accident attorneys of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are well-versed in what it takes to prove careless drivers should be held accountable for the harm they cause. If you hire us, we will advocate tirelessly on your behalf. We have over fifteen decades of mutual experience representing people injured in accidents in the pursuit of damages, and our zealous advocacy has enabled us to recover several multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements.

RVs are much larger than standard cars and SUVs, and people who are not used to operating them often make mistakes that lead to collisions. For example, they may not understand where the vehicle’s blind spots are or may fail to check them before changing lanes, causing a crash. People driving RVs can also underestimate their stop times, which can cause rear-end collisions, or the space needed to make a turn, resulting in rollover accidents. Crashes also frequently occur when RVs are overloaded, or the items towed behind them are not adequately secured.

People who operate RVs have the same responsibilities as other drivers, and if they fail to fulfill them and cause accidents, they can be held accountable. Typically, a person injured in an RV accident will pursue negligence claims against the driver who caused the collision. In Massachusetts, a plaintiff alleging a defendant acted negligently must establish that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, which is generally the obligation to act as a reasonable person would in a similar situation. The plaintiff then must show that the defendant breached the duty in some way, either by acting inappropriately or failing to act. Finally, the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant’s breach proximately caused the plaintiff to suffer actual damages. In other words, that the plaintiff would not have been injured if the defendant did not breach the duty owed. While the defendant’s breach does not have to be the only cause of the accident, it must be a significant factor in bringing it about.

In some RV accident cases, the defendant may try to avoid liability by arguing that the plaintiff was responsible for the accident and should be denied compensation. In Massachusetts, however, a plaintiff that is found to be partially responsible for an accident can still recover damages, as long as the plaintiff is not more at fault than the defendant. This means that a plaintiff’s comparative fault must be fifty-one percent or greater to bar recovery. Any negligence attributed to the plaintiff will diminish the damages awarded proportionately, though. For example, if a plaintiff is deemed thirty percent at fault, a damages award of $100,000 will be reduced to $70,000.

People involved in accidents involving RVs often suffer injuries, and the parties responsible for such collisions should be accountable. If you were hurt in an RV crash, you should meet with a lawyer about your options. At The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, our experienced attorneys can advise you of your rights and help you to pursue the full amount of compensation recoverable under the law. We have a record of obtaining favorable results, including many damages awards that exceed one million dollars. We regularly represent injured parties in car accident lawsuits on Cape Cod, and we can meet for consultations in Hyannis and Plymouth. You can contact us through our form online or at (888) 262-6664 to set up a meeting. Nós Falamos Português.