How Will Self-Driving Cars Affect Personal Injury Law?

New and old car manufacturers alike, including Tesla, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, are continually introducing self-driving and partially self-driving auto technology onto the market. It is fairly certain that one day, driver-operated vehicles will be a thing of the past. Although self-driving and partially self-driving auto technology will likely never be able to totally prevent auto accidents, the introduction of these self-driving cars is expected to have very serious consequences for personal injury law.

If you have been involved in a car accident that involved a partially self-driving vehicle, the experienced Nashville car accident lawyers at Bednarz Law may be able to assist. Our lawyers can investigate your accident and hold the responsible individuals or entities accountable for your injuries.

Possibly Fewer Car Accidents

One of the greatest ways that personal injury law will likely be affected by driverless cars is a potential decrease in the number of auto accidents that occur. There is no question that driver negligence contributes to a significant number of motor vehicle collisions. In fact, according to statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a single year, 32,675 individuals in the United States were killed in motor vehicle collisions, and greater than 2.34 million individuals suffered injuries. Due to their on-board safety technology, self-driving cars are involved in far fewer accidents. However, as of yet, these vehicles are not totally accident-proof.

Decreases in Medical Treatment and Hospitalization Costs

Motor vehicle accidents that cause serious injuries can lead to the need for emergency medical treatment in a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility. Depending on the severity of the injury or injuries sustained in the accident, an accident victim may also need to be hospitalized, undergo a surgical procedure, or spend time in physical therapy.

With fewer motor vehicle accidents on the road due to self-driving cars, however, comes a potential decrease in the need for medical treatment and hospitalization. Emergency rooms, along with health care providers, may lose a significant amount of business and money, due to far fewer accidents on roadways.

Fewer Liability Disputes

Many new self-driving motor vehicles are equipped with special sensors, cameras, and other technology that can be used to determine who caused a motor vehicle collision. Therefore, in the personal injury cases that result, there are likely to be far fewer disputes from insurance companies about fault and liability for the underlying accident. Some driverless car manufacturers are also stating that they may accept liability for accidents that occur when a vehicle is in auto-pilot mode.

Decreases in the Number of Personal Injury Claims

With the increase in driverless cars and fewer accidents, it is likely that the total number of personal injury claims and lawsuits that are filed in the court system will decrease significantly.

Call a Nashville Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle collision involving a driverless car, the legal team at Bednarz Law is here to help. For a free legal consultation and case evaluation with a Nashville car accident attorney, please contact us online today.