Imagine you are minding your own business, enjoying time on your property with your family, when a bullet whizzes over your head, close enough to scare or even injure a loved one. That is exactly what one family has experienced multiple times while outdoors at their family farm.
Fortunately, no one was injured in these incidents, but there are deaths every year in the U.S. from offsite gunfire, including Missouri. Earlier this year a Virginia 7-year-old was killed by a falling bullet on his way to a Fourth of July fireworks celebration. And one study found that, while only 2-6% of those hit by a bullet in a regular shooting were killed, one-third of those being hit by a falling bullet died as a result of their injuries.
Incidents like this aren’t all that rare. Investigations can be cumbersome and time consuming, but seeking redress from responsible parties who cause personal injuries is worthwhile. Those individuals firing guns irresponsibly can face serious consequences, including hunting violations, if applicable, and criminal charges.
If you’re injured by a stray bullet, you may have a negligence claim against the person who fired the bullet. The difficulty with stray bullet cases is that it can be very difficult to trace the origin of the bullet.
Tracing the bullet back to its source requires a qualified expert, and proving a case in court requires an experienced personal injury attorney who not only understands the law, but has the skill to piece together the facts and prove your case in court.
Finding counsel immediately after a stray bullet accident is essential, because evidence in these cases can go missing. Witnesses may be unavailable or may forget details of the shooting, and physical evidence from the site of the shooting may be lost.