Electric vehicles, also known as EVs, are marketed as being new, exciting, and more environmentally friendly than the gas-burning cars they’re replacing. However, factors like their heavy weight, faster-accelerating rate, and flammable chemicals used in their batteries also make electric vehicles potentially more dangerous.
If you’ve been hurt in a collision involving an EV in the Florence, South Carolina, area, you need a personal injury lawyer who understands this new type of auto accident and how to assertively pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
Contact Jebaily Law Firm today for a free initial case evaluation with a Florence EV accident attorney, and find out what we can do for you.
Why Are EV Accidents So Risky?
An accident involving an electric car or truck can pose a greater risk of severe injuries than accidents involving vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). Here are some of the top factors that make electric vehicle (EV) accidents potentially more dangerous than other auto accidents:
- Rapid acceleration – Electric motors can accelerate a vehicle much faster than traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines. Many electric vehicles have 0-60 times that rival sports cars or supercars. Drivers who aren’t used to this dynamic might accidentally accelerate more aggressively than they intend to, with potentially disastrous consequences.
- Silent operation – Electric vehicles do not generate noise from gas-powered engines, which means other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians might not notice an approaching EV. To account for this potential hazard, many EV manufacturers have designed their vehicles to make audible noises outside the car when moving or accelerating to alert other road users of the presence of an EV.
- Battery fires – When electric vehicles crash, the chemicals in their lithium-ion batteries may leak out and catch fire, potentially putting the EV’s occupants, other people involved in the crash, or first responders at risk of burn injuries. These chemical fires are often difficult to extinguish and have been known to reignite hours after being put out.
- Heavier weight – The giant packs of lithium-ion batteries needed to give electric vehicles hundreds of miles of range significantly increase the weight of EVs over conventional vehicles with gas engines. EVs’ heavier weight means they hit with greater force than ICE vehicles.
- Inadequate charging infrastructure – EV drivers may find themselves in areas lacking charging stations, which can result in EVs getting stranded on the road, where they may pose a collision hazard for other traffic.
Complexities of Florence Car Accidents Involving Electric Vehicles
Motor vehicle accidents involving EVs can pose more complex issues than crashes involving conventional vehicles. Here are some of the complexities that may arise in these cases:
- Safety risks of battery systems – EVs use high-current systems that can cause electrocutions or fires in the event of a crash.
- Automated driving technologies – Many EVs have automated driving systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot or Ford’s BlueCruise. Although manufacturers may boast about the capabilities of their automated driving systems, these systems require drivers to remain focused on the road to intervene in an emergency or if the system disengages. Automated driving systems have been linked to so many accidents that the federal government is investigating whether certain companies overstated the tech’s current abilities.
- Challenges with accident investigation – Law enforcement officers have less experience with EVs compared to traditional ICE vehicles, which can complicate the police’s investigation of a car accident.
- Higher repair costs – Repairing accident damage to an electric vehicle can cost significantly more than repairing a traditional vehicle due to the expensive, complex battery systems in EVs.
Potential Injuries in a Florence EV Crash
An electric vehicle crash can cause injuries of varying severity, such as:
- Burns, including from post-crash vehicle fires
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament sprains or tears
- Muscle and tendon strains and tears
- Back Injuries
- Lacerations and abrasions
- Broken bones
- Herniated spinal disc injuries
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
- Internal organ injuries and bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Facial injuries, including eye and dental trauma
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Amputation or limb loss
Liability for EV Car Accidents in Florence
Most EV car crashes are the fault of one of the drivers involved in the collision. However, in some cases, the company that manufactured and marketed the EV may be to blame. Crash victims might pursue a product liability claim against an EV manufacturer for a crash that occurred due to a design or manufacturing defect in the EV. Crash victims might have a marketing defect or failure-to-warn claim if an accident occurs due to inadequate instructions or warnings for advanced systems, such as automated driving features.
Proving liability for an EV accident may involve evidence such as:
- Police crash reports
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Eyewitness accounts
- Vehicle computer logs
- Surveillance, traffic camera, or dashcam footage
- Cell phone records
- GPS data
- Repair and maintenance records
- Accident reconstruction expert reports and testimony
- Instruction manuals and marketing materials
- Internal corporate communications
How Our Law Firm Helps People Hurt in Electric Vehicle Crashes in Florence, AL
A Florence EV accident lawyer with Jebaily Law Firm can help you demand the money you need to heal from what you’ve suffered in a crash involving an electric vehicle. Our firm can fight to secure maximum financial recovery for you by:
- Thoroughly investigating the accident to determine the cause of the crash and identify the parties who bear liability for your injuries and property damage
- Documenting your injuries and calculating your damages for ongoing and future medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses
- Keeping in regular contact with you throughout your case to keep you updated on the progress of your claims, answer your questions, and help with any issues you may face during your recovery
- Filing your claims and handling communications and negotiations with the insurance company and defense lawyers
- Aggressively pursuing financial recovery for you, whether through a negotiated settlement of your case or by taking your claims to trial as necessary
Are you ready to demand the fair recovery you deserve for an EV accident that wasn’t your fault? Contact Jebaily Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an electric vehicle accident lawyer in Florence. Let’s talk about your best legal options for a personal injury claim.
