How to Avoid Admitting Fault after an Auto Accident

19 July 2022
 Categories: Law, Blog

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Auto insurance providers do not want to pay for damages if they are able to find a way out of it. When you file a claim with an auto insurance provider and you make a statement that could be interpreted as an apology, this can be used as an excuse to hold you responsible for the car accident. There are several ways you can accidentally admit fault.

Be Objective with the Police

When you are talking to the police after the accident, you will want to be objective about what occurred. You will not want to say anything that might be perceived as a lie because this can be used against you, but you will also not want to say anything that could be perceived as an admission of guilt. Tell your story of how the accident occurred and use as few words as you can.

Be Polite But Do Not Admit Fault

After the accident, you might be tempted to apologize for the accident. While this might seem like a nice courtesy, this can end up being used by an insurance provider as an admission of guilt and can then be used to hold you responsible for the accident. 

It's tempting to apologize as a way to be polite. Instead of apologizing, you should focus on showing concern for the other party and whether they are injured. If they are injured, you can focus on making sure that they are rushed to the hospital.

Speak to an Insurance Provider with a Lawyer Present

When it is time to talk to the auto insurance provider, you will always want to have your lawyer present. You can have all communications handled by your attorney while you focus on recovering from your injuries.

An auto accident attorney like Houston & Alexander PLLC will focus on obtaining the largest possible settlement for your injuries. They will research your accident and use the results of the research to prove that the other driver is at fault.

Don't Assume You're at Fault

Fault is a very complex issue to make sense of and there have been years of court cases and endless pages of laws dedicated to determining what exactly constitutes fault in a variety of circumstances. Therefore, you will not want to assume that you're at fault until your attorney has looked at your case. Even if you believe you are at fault, this might not actually be the case. They will then negotiate a settlement with the auto insurance provider and you will be able to receive compensation for your injuries.