I Was Injured in a Car Accident that Wasn’t My Fault. What do I do?
If you were injured in an accident and you believe that the accident wasn’t your fault, there are a few things you should do to protect yourself. Proving that you were not at fault in an accident is vital for your driving record and can determine the outcome of your settlement. A police report is probably the most important way for you to show that the other party was responsible for the accident.
If there is any question about who is at fault for your accident, the best thing to do is contact a local car accident lawyer who can review your case.
I Was Injured in a Car Accident that Wasn’t My Fault. What do I do?
Here are some information you can use to help show that the accident wasn’t your fault:
Police Report
If the police came to the scene of your accident there is a good chance that a police report was written. You can obtain a copy of the report by contacting the traffic division of your local police department. If you are lucky, the report will contain an officer’s opinion or a citation for careless or negligent driving about the other party involved.
State Traffic Laws
Also called the vehicle code, each state has specific laws governing the road. You can usually find a condensed copy of these laws at your local department of motor vehicles office or a complete version at a public or law library. You will also be able to find this information online in the research area of nolo.com. Look for key words that might apply to your accident such as “left hand turns” or “right of way” and copy the exact wording and statute number to use in your case.
“No-Doubt” Liability
No-doubt liability applies in certain types of accidents and means that the other driver is at fault 99% of the time. You will not have a difficult time proving your case in these circumstances:
Rear-End Collision
Drivers are required to leave an appropriate amount of space between themselves and your vehicle and that means allowing for unexpected or abrupt stops. If the car is unable to stop safely and rams their vehicle into yours then it is considered negligent driving. The damage to both of your vehicles will show that it was a rear-end collision. If, however, your vehicle lacked working tail lights or had engine failure and was not moved off the road, you could be in for a “comparative negligence” case in which you will be asked to shoulder some of the blame.
Left-Turn Accidents
In almost every case, a car making a left hand turn that causes a collision into an oncoming vehicle will be held liable. The rare and hard to prove exceptions to this rule include the car going straight driving well over the speed limit or running a red light.
If there is any question about who is at fault for your accident, contact a car accident attorney and never admit anything to the at-fault insurance adjuster!
Seek the help of a car accident lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the hard-working accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
