Did you know that an average of 6 million car accidents occur in the United States every year? Though many wrecks can be attributed to really bad luck (weather and surprise obstacles), many more accidents happen because of some form of negligence. A classic case of negligent behavior is getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, but negligence applies to many more cases beyond that.
If you act negligently and cause a car accident then it’s legally your fault. So what should you do and what happens to you if you’re at fault? Keep reading this handy guide to find out how to navigate one of these cases.
What to Do at the Scene of the Car Accident
How you behave at the scene of the accident is very important. Getting in your vehicle and fleeing the scene will make much more trouble for you than if you act correctly.
First, call 911 and state that there’s been an accident and give them your location, this will summon police and paramedics to the location. If people are close to burning vehicles then move them to safety. However, if there’s no burning vehicle and someone is either lying down or seated with a head injury then it’s best to keep them awake without moving them.
Avoid discussing what you were doing before the accident until you speak to your car accident lawyer. Visit these car accident lawyers if you need this service.
Fault Determination
Once the shock of the car crash has passed, both parties will be looking to claim damages. The insurance companies will want to establish fault to see who should be liable to pay for the majority or all of the damages. This is where you should speak in depth to an automobile accident lawyer.
An experienced lawyer will be able to tell you if you actually were at fault, or figure out how much of the accident is your fault. This is because in states like Florida you can still claim damages owing to the percentage of fault that the other party bears. This is called the pure comparative fault system.
Pure comparative fault works like this: if you were at 51% fault, and the damages were $100,000, then you would still be able to claim $49,000. Your insurance company or a court will determine your fault in causing the accident. A car accident attorney will be able to make a case that results in you bearing less fault.
Claims and Payments
After the fault determination, the court or insurance companies will hand down a ruling as to how much of the accident you should pay for. You can choose to settle in one cash payment or in monthly installments subject to the laws of the state and the court or insurance company’s orders.
Get Legal Protection Today
Negligence on the road is as dangerous legally as it can be physically, but if you have been in a car collision that you caused there is still hope. Make sure the first person you talk to about the details of the car crash is your car accident lawyer. That way you may incur far fewer financial and legal risks than you originally thought.
If you liked our tips on navigating an at-fault accident, then why not look at our other blogs for more useful advice? We have interesting blogs covering entertainment, business, technology, and more.
