Working on personal injury law requires an attorney to always keep up to date on the latest changes to those laws. In recent weeks, we’ve been keeping a close eye on a case involving a hot air balloon accident. Why? Because the results we’re seeing could have an impact on everything from hot air balloon accidents to accidents involving trucks, bus accidents, and even car accidents. Read on to learn more about this case and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to find out if you have a personal injury case.
This case involves the general duty of care
One thing that any personal injury attorney is very familiar with is the legal idea of general duty of care. Essentially, this means that anyone who’s driving their car must drive reasonably and carefully so that other people on the road aren’t unnecessarily put in harm’s way. This duty of care is generally not affected by the number of people in a vehicle or who those people.
The importance of being designated a common carrier
The idea of general duty of care affects a car driver, but in California those who are legally considered a common carrier have even more duties. They must use their utmost care and diligence to ensure that everyone in their vehicle is safe. Some examples of common carriers include bus drivers, commercial truck drivers, operators of roller coasters, and operators of ski lifts.
A recent court case put to the test an operator of a hot air balloon and the case found that they are not considered common carriers. This has put an interesting limit on what can be defined as such, and could potentially lead to changes in the way other personal injury cases are tried.
More specifics of the case
The case in question involved a hot air balloon accident in which that balloon hit a fence and ended up landing on its side. The result was several injuries to passengers, who sued the carrier of the hot balloon. They stated that the operator of the balloon was a common carrier and therefore had a higher duty of care. In this case, the trial court did not agree with this assessment. Based on what we know about this case today, it seems likely that the plaintiffs will appeal the court’s finding.
We can help you sort out your own accident
If you’ve been involved in any type of premises accident, motor accident, pedestrian accident – or most any other type of accident – then you may be wondering what your legal rights are. You can search all you want and maybe even find cases that are similar to your own. That said, you won’t find the answers you need for your specific case until you reach out to an attorney.
The good news is that Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas is proud to offer free case evaluations. All you have to do is call us at 909-982-0707. We can listen to your story and give you general information about what your options are. Call us today to get started.
