Proven truths about car accident liability
It comes as no surprise that car accidents are a common occurrence in the United States. With more than 253 million cars on the road, it is inevitable for some to get into an accident. But what happens when you’re at fault? Who pays for your medical bills and damages to your vehicle? What about any other costs incurred from such an incident? These five truths about car accident liability will help answer these questions and more!
1. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen
Car accidents can happen to anyone, and it’s important not to blame yourself if you get into an accident. It is always worth reminding that even the most careful drivers are at risk of getting in a car accident. Accidents can still happen even when obeying all traffic laws, following safety precautions, and being extra cautious while driving on certain road conditions.
2. If you believe the other driver was at fault, there are steps you should take right away
After an accident, it’s important to know what you should do if you believe that the other driver was at fault. For any damaged property (that isn’t your vehicle), take photos of it immediately after the accident has occurred. This is important to help establish how much damage was done during the crash for insurance reasons.
If anyone is injured, make sure to get all necessary contact information from the other driver involved. This should include their name, address, phone number, insurance company’s name, and policy number or claim ID (if known), license plate numbers for both vehicles, and so on. If you can also obtain the other driver’s license or ID card, that will be helpful.
3. What if the other person doesn’t have insurance
If someone else caused your accident and they were not insured or had inadequate coverage, then their liability would be unlimited. This means that they would be responsible for all medical bills, property damages, and other losses associated with the accident. A personal injury protection (PIP) policy can help pay for your medical costs after an accident.
Suppose the other driver that caused the accident has enough insurance to cover all of the damages. However, you still have out-of-pocket expenses not covered by their insurance company. In that case, it may be beneficial to retain a lawyer to help negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company for reimbursement.
4. Liability insurance will help pay for damages if someone else was at fault in causing your car accident
If you were not at fault in the accident, then your liability insurance should cover any damages that occurred. Your policy may also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which will help pay for injuries and vehicle damage from a hit-and-run driver or another type of collision with an uninsured driver if their lack of insurance was the cause of your accident.
If you were at fault for the accident, then your insurance policy will still pay towards medical bills and vehicle repairs to any other cars involved in the collision with you. However, if there is damage done to property not related to either of those vehicles (such as street signs or lights), then these damages may be covered.
5. Insurance companies may try to settle with you before going to court; however, this does not mean that they will offer enough money for your claim
It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to try and settle with you before going through the process of litigation. However, this does not mean that they will offer enough money for an agreement on a settlement. Instead, consider consulting with a lawyer who can help negotiate any offers made by the other driver’s insurer while also providing the guidance you need to make an informed decision on how to proceed.
It’s important to have liability insurance in the case of a car accident. If you’re not sure whether or not someone else is at fault, contact your insurance company as soon as possible so that they can help with settlement as necessary. Accidents happen; don’t let one leave you unprepared. Check out this resource on how to start your search for a car accident lawyer here.
