News & opinion How to Dispute Car Accident Fault

How to Dispute Car Accident Fault

How to Dispute Car Accident Fault
fteny c

ccident, even

mino

one, the

e’s plenty of st

ess to de

l

ith. Dete

mining li

bility c

n be one of the biggest conflicts you encounte

.

In some c

ses, f

ult is cle

s d

y. Fo

ex

mple, if you

e

e

iting

t ed light

nd

e

e

e-ended by

speeding c

, it seems obvious

ho s

t f

ult fo

the

ccident! Othe

times, ho

eve

, d

ive

s —

nd thei

insu

nce comp

nies —

ill be locked in

b

ttle of bl

me. If you

c

ccident insunce cl

im h

s been denied o

disputed, you don’t h

ve to th

o

in the to

el

nd give up hope. Don't p

y fo

d

m

ge you didn't c

use! You should neve

be held leg

lly li

ble fo

something th

t sn't you

f

ult. If you’

e being t

e

ted unf

i

ly by

n insunce comp

ny,

<

h

ef="https:

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inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“> c

ccident lye

> c

n help you unt

ngle the mess. Belo

,

e’ll

ns

e

some impo

t

nt questions

bout the f

ult dete

min

tion p

ocess

nd ho

to dispute f

ult

fte c

ccident.

T

ble of Contents

  • <
    h

    ef=”#f

    ult">

    ho Dete

    mines F

    ult in

    C

    ccident? ><

    li>

  • <
    h

    ef=”#evidence”>Evidence Needed to Dete

    mine F

    ult in

    C

    ccident ><

    li>

  • <
    h

    ef=”#

    ongfuly”>

    h

    t if F

    ult is ongly

    tt

    ibuted?<><

    li>

  • <
    h

    ef=”#compens

    tion">C

    n

    t-F

    ult D

    ive

    s Still Collect Compens

    tion?<><

    li>

  • <
    h

    ef=”#to-do”>

    h

    t to Do

    fte C

    ccident ><

    li>

  • <
    h

    ef=”#

    hy">

    hy You Need to Hi

    e

    L

    ye

    fte

    C

    ccident<><

    li>

<

id="f

ult”> >

ho Dete

mines F

ult in

C

ccident?

F

ult c

n be dete

mined by sevel people o

g

oups, such

s insu

nce comp

nies

nd thei

insunce

djuste

s, o judge

nd/o

ju

y in

cou

t

oom if the c

se gets esc

l

ted to

pe

son

l inju

y l

suit.

Most c

ccident cl

ims tend to follo

the s

me p

tte

n:

hen you

epo

t

n

ccident, you

insu

nce comp

ny

nd the othe

d

ive

’s insunce comp

ny

ill begin investig

ting in o

de

to dete

mine f

ult.

But just ho

do insunce comp

nies dete

mine f

ult?

ften

ccident is

epo

ted, the insu

nce comp

ny

ill

ttempt to collect st

tements f

om d

ive

s, p

ssenge

s,

nd

itnesses. They

ill

lso

evie

photogphs of the scene

nd send

n insunce

djuste

out to t

ke

look

t the d

m

ged vehicles in pe

son. Once they believe they kno

the c

use of the

ccident, the insu

nce comp

ny

ill

ssign f

ult to one o

mo

e d

ive

s. (Yes, f

ult c

n be sh

ed. Mo

e on th

t l

te

!)

<

id="evidence"><>Evidence Needed to Dete

mine F

ult in

C

ccident<

h2>

e you being bl

med fon

ccident you did not c

use? By collecting evidence f

om multiple sou

ces,

c

ccident lye

c

n put togethe

the pieces of the puzzle

nd p

ove you

e

e not

t f

ult.

The evidence th

t is used to dete

mine f

ult in

c

ccident c

se is gene

lly divided into t

o c

tego

ies:

Physic

l Evidence

Physic

l evidence

fte

c

c

sh includes but is not limited to:

  • i

    -level="1">deb

    is f

    om the scene of the

    ccident

  • i

    -level="1">the d

    m

    ge done to the vehicles (most not

    bly: the points of imp

    ct)<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">inju

    ies sust

    ined by victims<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">photogphs

    nd su

    veill

    nce foot

    ge<

    li>

itness Testimony<

h3>

itness testimony includes st

tements f

om the follo

ing individu

ls:
  • -level=”1″>byst

    nde

    s

    ho s the

    ccident h

    ppen<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">the d

    ive

    s involved in the

    ccident

  • i

    -level="1">police office

    s

    ho

    esponded to the scene

  • i

    -level="1">docto

    s

    ho t

    e

    ted the victims<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">expe

    t

    itnesses b

    ought in by you

    lye

    , including investig

    to

    s,

    ccident

    econst

    uction speci

    lists,

    nd mo

    e

eput

ble <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.comh

t-to-do-

fte

-c

ccident-inju

y/”>c

ccident inju

y > lye

kno

s ho

to collect the

pp

op

i

te evidence to dete

mine f

ult. Ho

eve

, sometimes insu

nce

djuste

s m

ke mist

kes du

ing thei

o

n f

ult dete

min

tion p

ocess o

only t

ke pti

l evidence into conside

tion.

h

t options do you h

ve then?

<

id=”

ongfuly”> >

h

t if F

ult is

ongly

tt

ibuted?

If

n insunce comp

ny is

ongly bl

ming you fo c

ccident you did not c

use, he

e’s ho

to dispute f

ult:

  • i

    -level="1">

    Immedi

    tely cont

    ct the insunce comp

    ny to dispute thei

    findings.<

    h3>

Cont

ct them by phone

nd in

iting.

p

pe

til (o

em

il til!) is impo

t

nt in m

tte

s like these. "C

e

ting eco

d of dis

g

eement” sounds like

b

d thing, but it’s

ctu

lly helpful in this c

se! Be consistent

nd st

nd fi

m in you

sse

tion th

t you did not c

use the

ccident. N

tully, you

lette

should include the specific info

m

tion you e disputing,

s

ell

s evidence th

t p

oves

hy the insunce comp

ny is

ong. Keep

copy of this lette

fo

you

self,

s

ell

s copies of

ll othe

communic

tion f

om the insunce comp

ny.

  • i

    -level="1">

    Obt

    in

    copy of the police

    ccident

    epo

    t.

Insu

nce

djuste

s le

n he

vily on the info

m

tion in

police

epo

t, but

h

t if the

epo

t cont

ins mist

kes like incoect o

incomplete info

m

tion? You m

y be

ble to m

ke

co

ection o

ddendum. You

nd you

c

ccident

tto

ney h

ve the

ight to investig

te the f

cts

nd

mend

ny e

o

s found in the csh

epo

t. If f

cts like you

identifying info

m

tion, you

insu

nce c

ie

, o

you

c

‘s m

ke o

model

e

ong, you c

n e

sily co

ect these by p

oviding the p

ope

document

tion. If you

e disputing othe

judgments itten in the

epo

t — such

s f

ult — you c

n

ite do

n you

o

n ve

sion of events.

lys h

ve you

c

ccident l

ye

evie

this itten st

tement p

io

to submission. You

st

tement c

n be included in the

epo

t

s supplement

y m

te

i

l.
  • -level=”1″>

    If you

    eceived

    ticket o

    cit

    tion, you must fight it in cou

    t.

P

io

to you

cou

t d

te, you

nd you

lye

c

n

lso

ttempt to spe

k

ith the investig

ting office

s. Fighting

t

ffic ticket isn’t

lys

good ide

, but if

n office

t

uly m

de

mist

ke, you don't nt it on youeco

d! You m

y be

ble to h

ve the ticket o

cit

tion dismissed in exch

nge fo

completing

defensive d

iving cou

se.

ddition

lly, if you dis

g

ee

ith

f

ult dete

min

tion, you m

y m

ke

n

ppe

l. Typic

lly,

thi

d-pty medi

to

ill be b

ought in to he you

side of the sto

y. P

ovide them

ith only the f

cts

nd do not let you

emotions get the best of you.

c

ccident l

ye

c

n p

ovide v

lu

ble guid

nce du

ing this time. (

emembe

, you e entitled to leg

l

ep

esent

tion

hile disputing

ticket.)

s

l

st

eso

t, if you

e still met

ith

esist

nce, you c

n esc

l

te the m

tte

to

civil lsuit

g

inst the insunce comp

ny. If you believe you

c csh cl

im is going to cou

t, you

ill definitely

nt

lye

by you

side fo

this step!

hen

ju

y dete

mines f

ult in

c

ccident c

se, you

lyeill fi

st p

esent them

ith the s

me evidence

e p

eviously mentioned.

hen you dispute

cl

im, you

nd you

l

ye

en't the only ones investig

ting. It’s likely th

t the othe

p

ty

nd thei

te

m

ill do

deep dive

s

ell. If you e

sked to give

eco

ded st

tement to the insu

nce comp

ny,

l

ys consult

ith you

l

ye

fi

st.

The det

ils of e

ch c

se

ill be diffe

ent, but

c

ccident inju

y l

ye

c

n help you dete

mine ex

ctly ho

to dispute

ongful f

ult dete

min

tion.

<

id=”compens

tion"><>C

n

t-F

ult D

ive

s Still Collect Compens

tion?<

h2>
Sho

t

ns

e

: yes.

hen it comes to c

ccidents, things

en’t

lys bl

ck

nd

hite

nd "I'm

ight, you’

e ong." In m

ny c

ccidents, the d

ive

s she f

ult fo

the csh. Fo

ex

mple, m

ybe one of them

s ove

the speed limit

nd the othe

s looking do

n

t thei

phone.

In st

tes

ith no-f

ult c insunce, the

hole bl

me g

me is p

etty ielev

nt.

hy? Bec

use inju

ed c

ccident victims

e expected to collect compens

tion f

om thei

o

n insu

nce comp

ny,

eg

dless of

ho c

used the

ccident. They c

n only m

ke

li

bility cl

im

g

inst the othe

d

ive

if thei

inju

y d

m

ges exceed

ce

t

in th

eshold. (Vehicle d

m

ge cl

ims

e h

ndled sep

tely,

nd f

ult m

y still come into pl

y.)

Ho

eve

, Tex

s is

comp

tive f

ult st

te th

t follo

s the 51% b

ule. This me

ns even if you

e

e pti

lly

esponsible fo

you

ccident, you m

y still be entitled to compens

tion unde

Tex

s c

ccident l! In

comp

tive f

ult st

te, you compe

ho is mo

e

t f

ult. If

d

ive

is found to be p

imily

t f

ult fon

ccident, they must t

ke fin

nci

l

esponsibility fo

it. Li

bility insu

nce is

equi

ed fo

ll Tex

s d

ive

s in o

de

to coveccidents like these. But in m

ny c

ses, eo

s f

om mo

e th

n one pe

son cont

ibute to

c

c

sh. It

ll depends on ho

much of the

ccident s you

f

ult.

c

ccident

tto

ney c

n help you so

t out the specifics, but he

e’s

quick ove

vie

: If you e hu

t in

Tex

s c

ccident

nd

e found to be less th

n 51%

esponsible fo

the

ccident, you c

n collect money f

om the

t-f

ult d

ivend thei

insu

nce comp

ny. Ho

eve

, the fin

l c

ccident insunce cl

im settlement m

y be

educed by you

deg

ee of f

ult. These f

ult pe

cent

ges

e dete

mined by consulting the evidence

e mentioned

bove. The highe

you

pe

cent

ge of f

ult, the lo

e

you

fin

l p

yout

ill be. In Tex

s, if you e mo

e th

n 51%

t f

ult, you

eceive nothing. But if you

e 50%

t f

ult, you

fin

l settlement

ill be

educed by h

lf. M

ke sense? He

e’s

n ex

mple of the m

th in

ction: if you e dete

mined to be 20%

t f

ult fo

n

ccident

ith

nothe

d

ivend you suffe

ed $50,000 in d

m

ges, you

nd youtto

ney could still pu

sue $40,000 in compens

tion.

Unfo

tun

tely, Tex

s

t f

ult

ccident l

s st

te th

t

victim c

nnot

ecoveny d

m

ges if they e found to be 51% o

mo

e

t f

ult. If you e found

holly o

even pti

lly

t f

ult

fte c

ccident, you

uto insu

nce

tes could inc

e

se

s

ell.

<

id="to-do"><>

h

t to Do

fte

C

ccident<

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>The p

ocess of <

h

ef="https:

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yvictims.com

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ye

-

fte

-c-

ccident/”>p

oving f

ult > begins

s soon

s

n

ccident h

ppens. If you

e s

fely

ble to do so, follo

these steps fo

best

esults in you

c

ccident

nd inju

y cl

im:

  • i

    -level="1">ong>T

    ke photos<

    st

    ong>. T

    ke photos of the d

    m

    ged vehicles

    s

    ell

    s the suounding end sign

    ge. (If you

    e too inju

    ed to follo

    this step o

    othe

    s, don’t push you

    self. T

    y

    sking

    byst

    ndehile you

    it medic

    l t

    e

    tment.)<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Exch

    nge info<

    st

    ong>. Use you

    phone to t

    ke pictu

    es of the othe

    d

    ive

    ’s license, insunce info

    m

    tion,

    nd pl

    tes. Collect cont

    ct info

    m

    tion f

    om

    ny

    itnesses

    t the scene

    s

    ell.

  • i

    -level="1">ong>C

    ll the police<

    st

    ong>. C

    ll the police to

    epo

    t the

    ccident. This step is impo

    t

    nt,

    s

    t-f

    ult d

    ive

    s often don’t

    nt to get the police involved. Don’t let them dissu

    de you —

    police

    ccident

    epo

    t c

    n se

    ve

    s vit

    l evidence.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Get ex

    mined fo

    inju

    ies<

    st

    ong>. Getting p

    ompt medic

    l

    ttention p

    events

    n insu

    nce comp

    ny f

    om

    guing th

    t you "

    e

    en't

    e

    lly hu

    t.”

  • i

    -level="1">ong>Cont

    ct

    l

    ye

    <

    st

    ong>. If you e being bl

    med fo

    c

    ccident you did not c

    use, you need someone

    ho c

    n p

    otect youights

    nd st

    nd up fo

    you

    innocence.

    c

    ccident lye

    c

    n help you pl

    n you

    moves cefully

    nd imp

    ove you

    ch

    nces of

    eceiving

    s

    tisf

    cto

    y settlement. H

    ving

    l

    ye

    on you

    side

    ill

    lso sho

    the insunce comp

    nies th

    t you me

    n business

    nd c

    nnot be t

    ken

    dv

    nt

    ge of. If you don’t

    nt to be dismissed, igno

    ed, o

    stuck in

    g

    me of phone t

    g

    ith fl

    ky insunce comp

    nies, it m

    y be time to get

    l

    ye

    !<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">ong>File

    n

    ccident cl

    im<

    st

    ong>. C

    ll you

    insunce comp

    ny

    s

    ell

    s the othe

    d

    ive

    ’s insu

    nce comp

    ny to

    epo

    t the

    ccident

    nd begin the

    ccident inju

    y cl

    im p

    ocess. You

    l

    ye

    c

    n help you successfully complete this p

    ocess.<

    li>

Th

oughout these steps, do not

pologize

nd do not

dmit to

nything. You don’t nt to

ccident

lly t

ke

esponsibility fo

something you did not do. Do not offe

occept money f

om the othe

d

ive

, eithe

.

<

id="

hy”> >

hy You Need to Hi

e

L

ye

fte

C

ccident<

h2>

hen d

ive

s, insunce

djuste

s,

nd even police

e cont

dicting you

ve

sion of events, it c

n feel like the deck is st

cked

g

inst you. The insu

nce comp

nies h

ve p

ofession

l investig

to

s

nd insunce

djuste

s on thei

side;

hy should you h

ve to fight them

ll

lone?

c

ccident

tto

ney c

n help you by:
  • -level=”1″>collecting evidence
  • i

    -level="1">settling f

    ult disputes

  • i

    -level="1">meeting impo

    t

    nt de

    dlines

They c

n

lso be vit

l

dvoc

tes du

ing the settlement negoti

tions th

t follo

.

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.comhy-c-

ccidents-occu

“>c

ccident lye

> c

n help st

engthen you

c

se in nume

ous

ys

hile you focus on

ecove

ing. If you t

y to build you

enti

e c

se

lone, you m

y miss out on c

uci

l evidence o

be t

ken

dv

nt

ge of.

Unfo

tun

tely, insu

nce comp

nies e only t

ying to p

otect thei

bottom line.

If you’

e being bl

med fo

c

ccident you did not c

use, let us lend

h

nd.

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“>Ste

t J. Guss<><

figc

ption><

figu

e> It’s

common misconception th

t lye

s

e expensive, but in c

ccident inju

y cl

ims, you could end up

ith mo

e money in you

pocket th

n if you h

dn’t hi

ed

l

ye

. Plus, pe

son

l inju

y l

ye

s

o

k on

<

h

ef=”https://c

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ye

-contingency-fee-

ve

ge/”>contingency fee > b

sis. This me

ns you p

y them nothing

t

ll upf

ont! They collect thei

fees f

om

po

tion of you

fin

l settlement d.

e kno

eve

y c

c

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