After your recent motor vehicle accident, you want nothing more than to repair your vehicle, nurse your injuries and get back to your daily life. Before that happens, you must determine which party bears responsibility for the collision.
Forbes explores the many ways to determine negligence in a vehicle collision. Understand how to navigate the aftermath of your accident and protect your right to compensation.
The police report
Depending on the severity of the damage, perhaps you called the police to the scene. Officers investigate the collision scene to create a report of what transpired. The police may gather reports from eyewitnesses as well as accident victims to determine who bears fault. You may request a copy of the report for insurance purposes. If the police do not or cannot come to the scene, visit your local police station to file an incident report.
The drivers
In the heat of the moment immediately after the accident, you or the other driver may either point fingers at the other or take responsibility for the incident. Hopefully, you neither admitted fault nor blamed the other driver. You do not know if unknown factors, such as road conditions or faulty automobile mechanics, contributed to the collision. Careless words may turn back on you or the other motorist.
The insurance company
Like police, insurance agents have experience in surveying accident scenes to determine what happened and which party likely triggered what transpired. Also, insurance companies use technology and algorithms to gauge the extent of damage all involved vehicles sustained.
Determining fault often becomes an essential aspect of personal injury cases.