Can I settle if I hit a deer?

One of the hazards of driving on any rural South Carolina road is the risk of hitting a deer. Running into one can be almost as bad for your car as it is for the deer and can even cause serious injuries if they come through the windshield or cause your car to lose control.

If you are the driver of a car that hits a deer there is generally no one one to settle with. It should seem obvious, but deer don't have insurance. You may be able to get your car repaired if you have collision insurance and you can get your medical bills paid for by your own medical pay coverage.

If you are a passenger in a car that his a deer you might be able to obtain a settlement. This will be by making a claim against the driver's insurance policy. To do so you will have to show that they were driving too fast, not paying attention or for some other reason were at-fault for the collision.

The law is different for animals that are domesticated such as cows and horses. In accidents involving those animals you may be able to make a claim against the owner of the animals for failure to keep them properly secured inside of a fence.