How To Determine Who Is Legally At Fault In A Car Accident

Car accidents are somewhat inevitable, traffic in any city in the United States has become unbearable and as the number of cars increase, the number of accidents is definitely on the rise. The worst thing about car accidents is that even if you are only suffering from simple injuries and car damages, it still costs a lot of money. The process of taking care of yourself, other passengers, and the car is definitely overwhelming.

There is an average of 140,000 car accidents that result in personal injury in Georgia alone every year. If you get into one of those accidents, it’s going to be mandatory for you to determine which party was at fault. This is a critical step in the process of filing an insurance claim. Whoever is at fault will be legally held responsible for the injured party and therefore, some insurance companies and individuals deny that they’re at fault. Here we’re going to discuss how to prove who is legally at fault for the accident.

Gathering Intelligence

If you’re sure that the accident was the other driver’s responsibility but it looks like this is going to be hard to prove later when filing a claim with the insurance company, then you need to make sure you have enough evidence. You can call the police and your personal attorney right away; you can ask for a police officer to come to the scene and that officer’s notes will be the most reliable piece of evidence you can get. It’ll be very hard for the insurance company to argue with you with a police report supporting your case.

If you’re not able to call someone for any kind of reason then you can take pictures before leaving the location of both cars and the damages occurred. Also, make sure to get the contact information of anyone who may have seen the accident and doesn’t mind becoming a witness to prove your case. You need to understand that laws vary from state to state. There are no-fault states like New Jersey and Florida, where the insurance company covers your medical bills and other financial obligations after an accident whether it was your fault or not, while others need proof to cover your expenses.

Traffic Law Violations

Traffic Law Violations 

If the other party has broken traffic laws then you will be able to easily prove that it’s their fault. If they were speeding, running a stop sign, or did not wait for the traffic lights to turn green, then it would be easy for you to prove that they were at fault. Negligence and failure to obey traffic laws is a crime and you must make sure you’re compensated for the time you took off work and all the medical bills and car repairs should be covered.

You just have to make sure your attorney understands state laws and will be able to help you. For example, if you have an accident in Douglasville, Georgia then you’re going to need to follow the advice of personal injury attorneys in Douglasville and collect all the evidence you can so they can use the experience to get you the compensation you deserve. You shouldn’t let the insurance company pressure you into settling for a certain percentage when you feel like they’re being unfair. The emotional trauma, physical injuries, lost income, and vehicle damages are enough to deal with.

Collisions

One is required to make sure there is a certain amount of distance between cars when driving. You can’t start tailgating the driver ahead. You need to make sure there’s enough distance between you and the car in front of you so even if they suddenly break, you must be far enough to notice before hitting them. As a general rule, if a car hits you from behind, the rear driver is at fault.

Therefore, it would be very easy for you to file an insurance claim and a personal injury lawsuit if your car is damaged from behind. Similarly, if the driver hits you while they’re making a left turn, then they are usually at fault. It’s a known fact that one is supposed to wait for the driver in the oncoming traffic and can’t make a turn until it’s safe to do so.

Being in a car accident can cause emotional, physical, and financial distress. Hiring an attorney that will help you and can guarantee that you will be receiving the compensation you deserve can be very beneficial for you. A lawyer will be able to communicate and negotiate with insurance companies, get your medical bills covered, and get you compensated for the days you had to miss work because of your injury. They will also help you get compensated for all the car repairs.