Stressed woman driver taking photo on mobile phone camera after vehicle collision on street side for emergency service after car accident. Road safety and insurance concept.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, one in which everyone takes responsibility for their mistakes. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, there’s a very good chance the at-fault driver will try to escape accountability. That’s why you’ll have to talk to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as you can if you’ve been hurt in an automobile wreck that wasn’t your fault.
The Eberst Law Firm will fight to make sure the responsible driver faces that accountability. Our attorneys have the skill and experience it takes to help you obtain fair compensation. If you would like to schedule a free consultation, please use our online contact form or give us a call at 1-888-CALL-JON.
What At-Fault Drivers Lie About
When an at-fault driver lies, that obviously adds a layer of complexity to your personal injury case. You might be 100 percent certain that you aren’t to blame, but that won’t mean a whole lot unless your attorney can produce the evidence needed in order to prove your case.
But why would that driver lie in the first place? There are actually quite a few reasons. At-fault drivers will typically face steep increases in their insurance premiums – they might try to avoid blame simply to save money. Drivers who are drunk or driving under the influence of drugs will often leave the accident scene to avoid being arrested – they’ll then deny they were to blame after the accident occurs.
How Can I Protect Myself from the At-Fault Drivers Lies?
Again, the best way to shield yourself from lies is to have solid, strong evidence. That’s the case whether you’re involved in a truck accident or any other type of wreck. If you don’t, then the insurance adjuster assigned to your case will more than likely deny your claim.
Here are just a few things you can do to gather the proof you need.
Give an Accurate Statement to the Police
Be as honest and accurate as you possibly can when talking to the police. The police report could very well make the difference between getting what you deserve and not getting anything at all. So, tell the officer everything you possibly can regarding what happened.
Speak to Witnesses and Write Down Their Information
Witness statements can also be powerful pieces of evidence. If at all possible, talk to people who saw the accident, and get their names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Objective witnesses really don’t have any incentive to lie – they might even make the insurance company more amenable to offering you what you actually deserve. If the insurer knows you have an ironclad case, it will very likely settle for a fair amount.
Of course, it’s often asking a lot for someone who’s been traumatized and hurt to try and gather witness information. One of the main reasons to hire an experienced law firm is that it will have the resources needed to conduct a thorough investigation of your accident. There’s a very good chance your attorney will be able to find people who saw what happened.
Gather Your Own Evidence
If possible, try to get as much photographic evidence of the accident scene. Take pictures of not only the damage to the vehicles involved, but also any skid marks. Skid marks could indicate that the other driver’s vehicle was exceeding the speed limit at the time of the crash.
Your attorney could also help obtain evidence in the form of security camera video. More than likely, there was a convenience store/gas station, or some other type of building located near the accident scene. There’s just as good a chance that structure has some sort of security camera. Your legal representative will be able to obtain that footage to strengthen your case.
Maintain Consistency in Your Side of the Story
You might be too hurt to be able to gather photos or talk to witnesses – some things may simply be out of your control.
One thing you can control, however, will be what you say. This is where you have to be extremely careful. You have to be consistent when it comes to your story. That means saying the same thing to an insurance company that you said to the police. If you tell different stories, the insurance company could seize upon that inconsistency and deny your claim.
This is yet another area where the help of an attorney could prove invaluable. Insurance adjusters are notorious for trying to get car accident injury victims to slip up, and say something that could damage their case beyond repair. When you have a lawyer working for you, however, he or she will protect you from that harassment, acting as a sort of shield. Simply tell the adjuster to direct all questions to your legal representative.
Are Their Consequences for Lying About Your Accident?
There are a lot of reasons why people involved in a car accident need to be as truthful as possible regarding what happened. If not, the consequences can be harsh. Here are just a few.
- The insurance carrier could cancel a driver’s policy, putting them in the “high-risk” category. This could make it incredibly difficult to get auto insurance as a result. Even if a person could find coverage, they’d wind up paying much more than the average policyholder.
- There are instances where high-risk drivers can’t find coverage at all. If this is the case, and they are found to be to blame for a future accident, they’d have to pay all damages out of their own pocket.
- When drivers are found to be lying about the circumstances of an accident, they could also face stiff fines – and possibly even face criminal punishment.
Hire an Attorney to Combat the Lies and Win Your Case
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, and that driver is lying about who was to blame, you’re going to have to hire an attorney as soon as you can. Doing so will be your best – and possibly only – chance of winning your case and obtaining the money you deserve.
Put the experience and knowledge of The Eberst Law Firm to work for you. Contact us online or call 1-888-CALL-JON for a free case review.
