In order to determine who will pay for any personal injury damage caused by a motor vehicle accident, you must first determine who is at fault. Generally, this will be the person whose negligence was the cause of the accident.
What to Do if You’re Not Sure Who’s at Fault:
Determining Fault by Location of Damage
A vehicle’s damage location can prove a lot about an accident. However, it’s not always straightforward. Passenger-side door damage often shows that the other driver is at fault, especially if that other car has front-end damage. An example would be if a driver ran a red light and hit another car in the intersection.
In some accidents, fault is more difficult to determine. In these cases, it may be necessary to call in an accident reconstruction expert. With full knowledge of engineering, dynamics, and physics, these experts can provide better proof of what happened.
What to Do if You Know You’re Not at Fault:
How to Prove It Was not Your Fault
The following steps should be taken if you know the accident was not your fault:
- Call the police
- Exchange information with the other driver and witnesses
- Take pictures of the scene
- Follow up with the police or DMV to ensure a paper trail
- Contact your insurance company
- Contact an attorney
What to Do if You Are at Fault
Should You Admit Fault?
The answer is no. Never admit fault in an accident, even partial fault. You may not understand all of the factors that contributed and led to the crash. Perhaps the other driver was texting, ran a stop sign, or failed to yield. However, if you already admitted fault for the wreck, you’ll have difficulty filing a liability claim against the other driver to receive fair compensation.
Always speak to a lawyer before talking to the other driver’s insurance company. Insurers have been known to twist or exaggerate a victim’s words to imply fault in order to avoid paying a settlement. An attorney from Jorgensen Law can assist you in preparing a recorded statement to avoid falling into this trap. Even if the insurance company insists on getting a recorded statement, inform them that you must consult with your lawyer first.
If you’ve been involved in a car or truck accident that resulted in injury, your medical bills may be piling up. Call Jorgensen Law today at 1-888-855-2948 or contact us online to set up a free initial consultation. We’ll help you determine who’s at fault and fight to get you the compensation you need to cover your losses.