What if I Was at Fault in a Car Accident?
What if I was at fault in a car accident? Getting into a car accident can be a scary affair. Aside from suffering damage to your vehicle, the aftermath of an accident can lead to serious injury. With more and more motorists out on the road, car accidents contribute towards tens of thousands of deaths each year. The vast majority of auto accidents are caused by distracted driving, where people’s attention is taken off the road by a cell phones, another passengers, or their morning cup of coffee. No matter the circumstances of an accident, figuring out who is at fault can often be hard to determine, especially if there are a lack of witnesses on the scene to lend their observations. What if it appears that the accident may have been your fault? It’s time to talk with an experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer.
California Auto Accidents – The Legal Low Down
Like many states, California has a comparative negligence law that governs accident scenarios. However, California’s law follows a pure comparative negligence standard. This means you are able to recover compensation after an accident regardless of how ‘at fault’ you were in an accident.
The caveat — compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault you were found to have in the accident. For example, if you are found to be 90% responsible for an accident in California, you will only be able to actually receive 10% of any total compensation amount awarded to you.
If the accident involves a multi-car pile up, California law holds people responsible for just their percentage of fault in the accident.
Overall, California law still lets you potentially recover compensation from another party after an accident, even if you are found to be primarily responsible for an accident. However, any sort of compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault.
How Is Fault Determined in an Auto Accident?
Due to California’s laws governing compensation after an accident, attorneys often come to the courtroom with a vast amount of information and evidence to plead their case, especially since there could be large amounts of money on the line.
As a result, speaking with an experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer after a crash is an important step, even if you were at fault.
After an accident, it is important to stay on the scene until police arrive. Make sure your account of what happened goes into the official report, along with anyone else involved, and any witnesses.
Police reports usually help make it clear who was at fault in an accident. However, they might not tell the whole story, especially someone was seriously injured and not able to speak. A professional car accident attorney will have professionals who can carry out their own investigations, speak with emergency personnel, and gather evidence to further support your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your particular situation.
Posted in: Auto Accidents