Car accidents are very tricky situations because they involve many parties. It is easy to determine who was at fault in causing the accident in some cases. This is not very clear sometimes because it is not easy to tell who is to blame and if the driver is liable. It is advisable not to say anything that could be used against you later in court after a collision. This means that you should not admit to anyone that you are at fault at the scene of the accident. This is hard to do because emotions are pretty high after an accident. An apology after the accident could be taken as an admission of fault. You should only state the facts to the police and any witnesses of the event. You should get as many witnesses as you can who will be able to back up your story.
You should take pictures of the accident and any injuries that were sustained if it is not easy to establish who is at fault. You can show these photos to personal injury attorney later. You should also try and get a copy of the police report that will be filed at the scene. You should seek medical attention if you are involved in an accident. This is important because any pain that you may have experienced can be masked by the shock or the emotions after the accident. You will be able to present the medical report in court when you get medical attention. The report will be from a medical professional and will back up your injury claim. The injuries could be discounted from your claim if you wait until a later time. It is assumed that the motorist is at fault if the accident is between a pedestrian and a motorist. It is important to note that this is not always true. There would be shared fault if the pedestrian did not follow the traffic rules. The fault will be shared if a pedestrian was jaywalking and the driver was driving past the speed limit.
Proof
You should call a police officer to the scene immediately after a collision has occurred. It is the responsibility of the police officer to determine who is at fault and ticket the offending party. It is possible that they might not be able to do it at that time. This will be done at a later date. The police will use the evidence that was gathered including the photos that were taken, the accounts of the drivers, and the statements of the witnesses. You should file a personal injury claim when you sustain personal injuries during the accident. You will have to prove that the other driver caused the injuries because of their recklessness. You could show recklessness if the driver was intoxicated, if they were speeding, or if they were driving distractedly. You can prove negligence if you had the right of way and the other driver did not observe this.
Compensation
Different states have different laws that are used to determine the degree of fault in the event of a collision. This degree plays a part in calculating the compensation that will be paid out. Pure comparative negligence stipulates that the compensation is dependent on the percentage that is your fault. This means that you will receive compensation even if you are partially at fault. The driver with the least contribution will have the biggest advantage. You would receive 70% of the compensation that is paid out for damages and medical expenses if 30% of the accident was your fault. It is important to note that a plaintiff will not be compensated if they caused injury intentionally.
You may be able to get a settlement even if you have the most fault. It will be greatly reduced because the settlement is reduced by the percentage of your fault in the occurrence of the accident. You should consult personal injury attorney who will give you advice on the way forward. You should contact your attorney before engaging with the insurance company of the other driver. This is because the insurance company will try to settle for less than you deserve. personal injury lawyers are capable of representing you in court to help you win the case.
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