Protecting The Rights Of The Injured

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How do you hold a negligent driver accountable for a crash?

On Behalf of | Apr 22, 2022 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

It is rare for a motor vehicle collision to actually be an accident. Often, someone helps cause the crash through illegal behavior while driving or engaging in negligent or reckless behavior at the wheel.

Someone driving at an excessively fast speed may think that the only risk for their behavior is a possible ticket. They don’t think about the safety consequences for others. The same is true of those who drive after drinking too much and those who text while driving. They fail to consider the impact of their decisions on other people.

When you believe that negligence, recklessness or misconduct lead to your car crash, how can you hold the other driver accountable for their behavior?

Speak up when you talk to the police

One of the most effective ways to advocate for yourself after a car crash is to ensure that the police officers responding to the collision know your version of events. Trying to stay calm while explaining why you think the other driver was at fault could lead to an investigation and a ticket for that other driver.

Police officers can gather phone records or look at traffic camera footage to validate claims that someone did something reckless at the wheel right before your collision. Officers can arrest or ticket drivers that they determine violated the law.

Carefully track the losses you suffer

You can only hold someone accountable for the financial losses you can prove that they caused. Keeping documentation of the estimate to fix your vehicle, your hospital bills and your lengthy absence from work will help you when you make a claim against their insurance company. The more documentation you have, the better your position will be during your negotiations with the insurance adjuster.

Know when to take someone to court

Motor vehicle liability insurance may not be enough to cover the various costs a crash causes for you. You could have tens of thousands of dollars in expenses that the other driver’s policy won’t cover, especially if they didn’t have very robust coverage. A personal injury claim allows you to seek compensation for both property damage costs and losses related to the injuries you suffered.

Holding someone accountable when they cause a car crash will mean that you aren’t the one absorbing losses because of the wreck.