No matter how much fault you share for the accident, an attorney can help you. You may think you are not entitled to any compensation if you are at fault for the accident, but that may not actually be true. Our personal injury attorneys can review your case and advise you on how best to proceed and what to include in your claim. You may still be entitled to damages even if the accident was partially your fault. How fault is handled after a car accident depends on where you live.
The other driver s will be entitled to file a claim with your insurance company. These damages can include:. In most cases, you will not have to pay for these damages out of your own pocket—unless they exceed your auto insurance policy limits. If the injured driver takes you to court for more money than your policy will pay, you may be responsible for the additional costs.
This can happen in serious car accidents, such as those resulting in serious injuries or death. But you might wonder about your own damages. If you purchased collision coverage as part of your policy, it should cover your vehicle damage from the accident.
However, you will still need to pay your deductible, which is a certain amount of money you must pay before the policy starts covering your damages. Even if you were fully at fault for a car accident, there are things you should do to protect your rights.
Stop and make sure you are out of the way of traffic. Check for injuries in your vehicle and any other cars, and call if anyone is seriously injured or killed. Call the police to report the accident. Do not leave the scene until police arrive.
In at-fault accident insurance states, the driver found responsible for causing the accident will be required to pay for all damages — including medical costs and property damage expenses. Paying for those damages are still the responsibility of the at-fault driver. In states with no-fault insurance laws, drivers are required to purchase car insurance with personal injury protection PIP.
Typically, all parties involved in the accident pay for ambulance expenses, emergency room costs and medical bills with PIP coverage. No-fault accident insurance is mandated only in some states. In addition to Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. There are 16 states in the U. Your job at the scene of an accident is not to point fingers, accuse others of wrong-doing or admit fault. But once you know everyone is safe, you have some responsibilities and a role to play. So, what should you do after an accident?
And never pursue a vehicle that flees the scene of the accident — wait for the authorities to arrive in that case and let them know what happened. If you or others need medical attention, call immediately. This should be the first thing you do. Be sure to get a police report afterward, it can really help the insurance companies determine who was at-fault in the car accident. Begin documenting the car damage from the accident and any other facts. Gather license plate numbers, the time of day, traffic conditions, and any road hazards that might have impacted the accident.
If there are witnesses, try to get names and contact information. You might find it difficult, but try to avoid admitting fault. The police and the insurance companies will come to their own conclusions about who is at-fault in an accident based on all of the facts and reports from everyone involved and any witnesses. Your insurance group may also seek legal advice to help identify the faulty party.
You'll want to let your insurance carrier know about the accident right away. Not only will your agent help you start processing your claim, they can also help you understand your car insurance coverage and walk you through gathering evidence at the scene. Tell them the basics about the accident, including the location, then ask for next steps. Ask how to start the process of filing a claim. You can begin the process through the MyAmFam app , or you can go online and use our Report a Claim form.
Admitting fault to your insurance company after a car accident is never a good idea. But make sure you detail what happened from your point of view. As the saying goes — just the facts. Your insurance agent will tell you how they want you to submit it in order to determine who is at-fault. If the police came to the scene of the accident and made a report, let your agent know.
Find out if they want you to get the report or if they will get it for you. Later, when you get a chance to talk to your agent in a safe location, ask how to start the process of filing a claim to repair damage after the accident. Or you can go online and use our Report a Claim form. Typically, collision insurance has a deductible. But resist the urge to do so. Admitting fault at the scene will only make things more difficult for you. Besides, you might actually end up falsely implicating yourself.
After checking for injuries, gather their insurance and contact information. Next, report the car accident to the police. Do not leave the scene before officers arrive. Be honest in your account of events. If an officer determines you made a violation, you may be issued a ticket. Afterward, report the incident to your car insurance company. In many cases, both drivers are partially at fault in a car accident. The insurance companies will assign different degrees of fault, regardless of whether or not you receive a ticket from police.
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