October 7, 2015 | Blog
Far too often we hear stories of civilians being injured by police vehicles. Often, crashes occur during high speed chases, but sometimes it is the result of negligence. Just last week an off-duty IMPD officer, driving his marked police vehicle, struck and killed a pedestrian who was walking in the street. It is suspected that the officer was intoxicated and impaired. The case is currently being investigated by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and the officer has been suspended from duty. (https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2015/09/25/off-duty-impd-officer-strikes-and-kills-pedestrian-alcohol-impairment-suspected/72787194/) Many will also recall the 2010 case of (former) IMPD officer David Bisard. Bisard was convicted of nine counts of drunken driving, reckless homicide and criminal recklessness for driving into a group of motorcyclists, causing death and serious injury.
In 2010, USA Today reported that about 360 people were killed each year in police chases, the majority of which are pursuits involving a stop for a traffic violation. “One third of these pursuit fatalities are to innocent bystanders.” (https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/10/2/93.full) According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least one person dies everyday as a result of a police pursuit and according to an article in the July 2002, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, one out of every 100 pursuits results in a fatality. (http://www.pursuitsafety.org/images/FBI_Journal2002.pdf)
If you are injured by an emergency vehicle, there are very specific laws that apply and you should contact an attorney immediately. There are strict time limitations on filing claims against entities such as the police department that must be adhered to or the claim will be barred. Please contact us immediately if you find yourself in this situation and let us help you.