One of the most common car accident scenarios involves rear-ending. Regardless of the perceived severity of the crash, a car accident lawyer can ensure that your property and health are protected when you're rear-ended.
Here are some steps to take when you're involved in a rear-end crash.
Two-Vehicle Crash
In most car accident cases, the fewer vehicles involved, the easier it can be to prove liability. However, rear-ending crashes can pose some tricky issues.
- Victim Blaming: Many perpetrators of rear-ending crashes cry foul. They often claim that the driver they rear-ended "stopped short," "slammed on their breaks," or "weren't paying attention." It's important to remember that you aren't responsible for the driving decisions of other drivers. Regardless of why you were rear-ended, the drive who "causes" the accident is the person who created the contact. For instance, if you were rear-ended when you decided not to speed through a yellow light, the driver behind you should not have assumed that you were comfortable going through the light. You should always avoid admitting blame or even explaining yourself to the other driver. Your first step should be to call the authorities, and your next step should be to call your car accident attorney. If the other driver can record you admitting blame or supplying information that conflicts with the police report, they can use these statements against you in court.
- Fender Benders: Many two-vehicle rear ending accidents are broadly categorized as "fender benders." If another driver makes contact with your vehicle, they are responsible for the damage and injuries they might have caused. It's important to remember that shock can be a powerful antidote to pain. Just because you aren't immediately sore after you're rear-ended doesn't mean that you won't feel sore tomorrow. The same logic applies to your vehicle. Even a small accident can warp a vehicle frame.
Multi-Car Crashes
If you're involved in a multi-vehicle rear-ending, the liability can be shared by several drivers. Depending on where you live, the percentage of fault assessed to each driver can drastically change how your car accident lawyer pursues your case.
- Majority First: In many states, multi-vehicle crashes involve assessing liability based on percentages. Thus, the first driver to cause contact and/or the driver cited by the police for the most serious moving violation bears the majority of the liability for causing the accident. Your car accident lawyer will begin by suing this driver for the majority of the damages caused by the accident.
For more information, contact a local law firm, like Grall Law Group.
