What to Do if a Car Crashes Into Your House

The safest place anybody should ever be is in their own home. Imagine enjoying an afternoon in your living room, enjoying a relaxing day binge watching your favorite show on Netflix when, suddenly, the unthinkable happens: a car comes crashing into your home.

Most people do not expect to find themselves ever having to deal with this kind of situation, but the problem of cars crashing into building is something that occurs more often you might realize. According to the Storefront Safety Council, cars crash into buildings approximately 60 times per day on average, resulting in about 500 deaths and 4,000 injuries each year. But data from the Storefront Safety Council focuses on the number of cars crashing into non-residential buildings like strip malls, restaurants, office buildings, and convenience stores, not houses, so if anything, these aren’t complete numbers about how often cars crash into buildings or how many deaths or injuries they cause.

In theory, any house can be crashed into by a car. Very often, cars crash into buildings when the driver mistakenly steps on the gas pedal instead of the brake. But in some cases, houses just have the misfortune of being located in an area that increases the chances of someone driving into it. For example, this house in Detroit has been crashed into by seven different vehicles, one of which was a semi-truck. In this case, the house is located near the exit of the Lodge Freeway, and when cars are exiting too quickly, they run the risk of crashing into this house.

When someone crashes into your house, it’s undeniably clear about who was at fault for the crash. But that doesn’t make the situation any less upsetting or frustrating to deal with. If you find yourself in this situation, here’s what you need to do.

Get the Driver’s Auto Insurance Information

If you have auto insurance in the state of Michigan, it’s going to include coverage for property damage which will cover some, if not all, of the damage to your home. So be sure to get the driver’s auto insurance information because they’re most decidedly the ones who should be responsible for the damage they caused.

What if the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Isn’t Enough?

Insurance policies do have their limits of coverage and depending on the extent of damage involved, the at-fault driver’s auto insurance might not be enough. If you have damages that aren’t covered by the driver’s insurance, or if the driver is uninsured, your homeowner’s insurance policy may be able to cover damages.

What if Someone is Injured?

If someone was injured as a result of a house being driven into, don’t hesitate to contact a car accident lawyer. They will best be able to answer any questions you have about your unique situation, work with you to figure out how to move forward with your case, and help you handle things like dealing with insurance companies. It also may be worth talking to a lawyer if you believe the crash could have been prevented with improved road design. In a situation like that, it may mean taking on a government agency, which can be particularly complex.

At Goodwin & Scieszka, we have years of experience handling Michigan car accident cases and are ready to help you. Contact us today to get started.

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