How To Dispute Fault in a Car Accident: Simple Steps

Driving is a wonderful experience and an essential skill for every adult. Cars help people take care of their daily affairs independently, but drivers should never forget about rules and keep other drivers in mind. 

Unfortunately, car accidents happen, and they may even result in fatalities. In 2021, the National Safety Council reported the total cost of injuries caused by motor-vehicle incidents totaled $498.3 billion, including medical bills, lost working time, and property damage. The more serious the car accident is, the more traumatic the injuries are, and the more expensive the damages are.

If you happen to be involved in a traffic collision that’s not your fault, you have the right to contest fault and to avoid paying anything to the at-fault driver. In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to dispute a car accident fault and protect your interests. 

Imagine you have been accused of a car accident you have not caused. In this case, can you dispute fault in an auto accident? It is possible if you act reasonably.

First – while you’re still at the scene, you have to act immediately. Don’t waste your time quarreling with the other driver. 

If you have no severe injuries, you should:

Whether you have severe or slight injuries, you should contact your insurance agent and immediately inform them of the car accident. Make clear that you were not at fault and explain why the other driver was to blame. The next steps of this guide will help you dispute faults, create an accurate police report, and avoid any professional errors by your insurance company.

A personal injury claim is a legal document that seeks financial compensation from the party who caused a car accident. To correctly compose a personal injury claim, you need to ask a personal injury attorney for help.

The whole legal process of filing a personal injury claim includes the following steps:

However, it is very common for at-fault drivers to deny their negligence and refuse to accept responsibility for their bodily injuries and property damage.

At this point, you can authorize your lawyer to file a lawsuit against the liable party. However, there are important deadlines limiting when you must file your personal injury claim. They are called statutes of limitation, and any lawsuit filed after the statute of limitation in your state is barred by law.

As we’ve mentioned before, at the accident scene, you should get in touch with your insurance provider about the car wreck. But what if they don’t accept your claims of innocence?

Here, as well, you have the right to dispute the final decision of the insurance company. After you receive a notice from your agents denying your claim, consider the following process:

To win a car accident fault dispute, you need to identify as many supporting facts as possible. It will help you make your personal injury claim more persuasive and legally enforceable.

The most essential information used in investigating car accident cases is witness testimony and physical evidence. We will discuss each of them in detail.

Usually, witness testimony is of special value during a car accident investigation. Vehicle crashes happen so unexpectedly and rapidly that it’s difficult to grab a phone right away and start taking photos or videos of the scene.

However, witness testimony isn’t only from random pedestrians who were passing by accident. There are more individuals who must share their testimony with the police:

Bear in mind that all the verbal information given by the witness will be compared with the statements of other witnesses and the parties involved in the collision.

Photos, videos, and injuries suffered by injury victims also constitute physical evidence. Other important pieces of evidence that you can use to dispute car accident fault:

Once again, emotions are useless in accident scenes. Everyone involved in a car accident, including drivers or random witnesses in pedestrian areas, should stay as calm as possible. 

Today, smartphone photos play a significant role in our lives. In car accidents, photos can help the police investigate who caused the accident, identify the victims, estimate expenses and losses, etc.

As the owner of a damaged vehicle, you should take as many relevant photos of the damage to your vehicle as possible. This information will be helpful for insurance agents as well as to establish financial responsibility for the damage.

Your next step is to call 911 and clearly describe the scene of the car wreck. Mention your name, car registration number, and the precise location of the accident, plus give the number of victims and witnesses and if anyone is harmed.

As we said before, you have to reach out to an attorney who will help you assert the necessary claims, negotiate agreements, and represent you in court.

If you have valid car insurance, you should inform your insurer of the accident quickly. They are obliged to provide all the information you need about the expenses they cover relating to your specific case.

If you are involved in a car accident, you should instantly notify the police and your insurance agent of this matter. However, sometimes police officers may issue citations implying you were at fault for the accident.

In this case, you will have to dispute a police citation for a car accident fault in court. Here is what you should do:

Firstly, you should contact your insurance agents and inform them of the car accident and where you were injured. Here are the three main questions you should be ready to answer before claiming financial compensation for your harm:

Then, you have to prepare all the necessary evidence, including photos, videos, police reports, and witnesses’ testimonies, that clearly show that you were not at fault in the collision. More relevant information will increase your chances of getting compensation from the insurance company covering the liable party.

To convince the at-fault driver’s insurance company to compensate you, you should gather the required documents together with your personal injury attorney. Your lawyer will always stress that you were not at fault, and they will aggressively represent your interests. If the insurance company is uncertain about the law, your lawyer will provide them with all of the case law and statutes that apply to your case.

The process of obtaining compensation for injuries you suffer in an accident is to press a personal injury claim. Lawyers who specialize in this area of the law are great resources and will do all of the work needed to absolve you of the fault and to get you all of the financial compensation possible for your physical injuries and your property damages.

Automobile accident lawyers are the experts who assist in investigating traffic collisions from A to Z and drafting all the required legal documents. Here are some common duties of car accident attorneys:

Most car accident attorneys will not forego using any legal action, law, regulation, or document required to prove your innocence in a traffic collision. They truly know what to do and keep you informed about your case’s progress. With an experienced attorney, you will usually win your financial compensation without going to court.

Car accidents are always stressful, especially when it comes to defending yourself against unjust accusations of negligence. Damaged vehicles, time loss, making multiple emergency contacts, injuries, and a big pile of documents to deal with can distract people from remembering the key information and acting wisely.

Any person involved in a traffic accident, especially if you suffered an injury, should contact a personal injury attorney right away. Their legal expertise and courtroom experience will do everything possible to defend you from fault and obtain the highest possible financial compensation for your injuries and damages.