What should I do if I was in a car accident that was my fault?
If you were in a car accident that was your fault, you should call 911 if anyone appears to be seriously injured, report the accident to the police, report the accident to your insurance company, and do not admit fault for the accident.
You may find it helpful to discuss your situation with an attorney who has experience with car accident cases. A member of the reliable legal team at Cohen & Cohen is available to discuss your situation with you at no charge. We may be able to help you to determine whether or not it will be beneficial to your case to have an attorney on your side. Do not hesitate to call, someone is available to take call any time of the day or night, any day of the year.
Being in a car accident can be devastating on many levels but it can be especially hard to deal with when you are the at-fault driver. Not only does the at-fault driver have to deal with the cost of the damage of their own vehicle and to their injuries if they have any, they (or their insurance) is responsible for damages the other parties incur to their vehicles and their bodies. If you are at fault for causing an accident while you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, even over the counter and prescription medications, you may want to discuss your situation with a lawyer who is licensed to practice in the jurisdiction the accident occurred in. A DUI or DWI conviction usually goes on a person’s permanent record as a criminal act. This is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. Many people are wrongly accused of driving under the influence. If this happens to you, it can be very helpful to have a knowledgeable attorney on your side.
Many people have an impulse to flee the scene of an accident that they have caused. Doing this is not a good idea. Reporting an accident to the police is standard procedure. Depending on the severity of an accident, the police may or may not come to the accident scene. If you flee the scene of an accident, you may be charged with a Hit and Run which can come with harsher penalties than you might actually have to face for the accident itself.
Even though it may be obvious to you that you were at fault for an accident you were in, it may not be obvious to others. Even though it may be obvious to you that you were at fault, you may not actually be. Do not claim responsibility for an accident at the scene. There is plenty of time and procedures to establish fault. Even though you may feel bad for the other people involved, it will do you no good in the long run to apologize or admit that you think you are at fault.
There are a little over ten states in the U.S. that are no-fault states. In these states, it does not usually matter who may or may not have caused an accident, all the parties involved must first, and often exclusively, turn to their own insurance company to get compensated for medical bills and other losses stemming from the accident.
It can be hard to stay calm and collected immediately following a car accident. To help you determine what your rights are in your particular situation, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation, today.
