Cattle trucks share the road with everyone else. They haul animals to slaughter and to other farms. These animals are very valuable to those that own and raise them, and when you are in an auto accident with this type of truck, you may be sued for the beef. If you question such a lawsuit, then you are making a smart move. The following legal guidelines will help you understand why.

The Beef Is Not Your Beef

While some of the cattle in the truck that hit you may be injured, the problem is not yours. The driver of the cattle truck is responsible for the safe and timely delivery of these animals, regardless of where they are going.

If it is determined that the accident was the result of inattentive driving on his part or swerving to miss something in the road and not regaining control of the truck, then you are not responsible for the injured cattle inside. Additionally, if the animals were headed to a slaughterhouse, then there is very little loss to the owner and you are not responsible for that, either.

Determining If You Have to Buy the Cow 

On the other hand, if you were the thing in the road that the truck driver was trying to avoid and hit anyway, you may just have to buy a cow or the injured portion of the herd. That is really unfortunate, since you will not be able to indulge in any of the steak or hamburger from them. It takes an expert in accidents and personal injuries to figure out whether or not you have to pay for the beef.

Your Own Injuries

You probably question who is supposed to pay for your injuries if you have to pay for the cows? It is an odd situation, to say the least, when you are hurt during a run-in with a cattle truck but you are sued for the price of the injured cattle. Yet, personal injury attorneys have seen far stranger cases and have been able to help sort things out between the parties involved.

Knowing Who to Hire to Defend You

It is not as though there is a special branch of the law for your unique auto accident experience, but there are accident and personal injury attorneys. These lawyers defend people in auto accidents of all kinds every day. The one you hire may not have ever had to defend someone in your position, but it does not make him or her any less effective.

He or she could turn the stakes on your cattle case and end up earning you a steak dinner instead. At any rate, it is worth the free consultation. To learn more, contact a company like Vaughan & Vaughan with any questions you have.