Driverless technology is new, and development to improve it is ongoing. Laws regulating liability regarding motor vehicle accidents involving driverless cars are also evolving. It is therefore not surprising that many questions are asked about damage recovery after crashes in Gulfport and across Mississippi in which autonomous vehicles are deemed at fault.
Even while these vehicles are still being tested, injuries and fatalities have been attributed to them. Authorities have passed regulations that make it possible for the computers of driverless cars to be blamed for collisions. It opens up the potential for lawsuits in which not just the owner of the vehicle, but the manufacturer, component designer, software designer and retailer could be named as defendants in a civil lawsuit instead of a typical auto accident case in which a driver is accused of negligence.
However, if the crash involved a semi-autonomous vehicle, the driver could be held liable under specific circumstances. These vehicles require the drivers to have their hands on the wheel and alert to enable them to take control of the car in emergencies. Even if the crash occurred while a car was in autopilot mode, the driver could be deemed partially at fault and named as a defendant along with the manufacturer and the production chain in a civil claim.
The sensible thing to do for victims of crashes that involved autonomous or semi-autonomous cars in Mississippi is to seek legal counsel. A personal injury attorney in Gulfport with experience in both product liability and motor vehicle accidents can explain the available options. The lawyer can also provide the necessary support and guidance throughout any ensuing legal proceedings to pursue recovery of economic and noneconomic damages.
