What Happens When You Admit Fault To An Auto Insurance Provider?
Unfortunately, most motorists are not prepared to deal with an auto insurance provider after they are involved in an accident. They might admit fault and then discover that they are actually not at fault. If you have admitted fault to an insurance provider, you might wonder if you can still file a claim.
You Can Still File a Claim
It's always a bad idea to admit fault because you might be mistaken. You are better off letting the experts conclude their investigation. If you later find out that you are not at fault, you may have a more difficult time filing a claim. However, you can still file a claim and an auto accident attorney may be able to help.
Fault vs. No-Fault States
Some states are no-fault states. This means that accidents that occur within the state will be paid for by the insurance providers of each party. Therefore, even if you were responsible for the accident, the other driver's insurance provider would cover the damages. However, if you are not in a no-fault state, the compensation you receive from the other party will depend on to what extent you are considered at fault.
Comparative Negligence
In a state with comparative negligence, if you are considered to be 49% responsible for the accident, you will be entitled to compensation for 1% of the damages you have suffered. However, if you are able to prove that the other party is more at fault, the percentage in which you would be compensated would increase. For this reason, you will want to minimize your fault as much as possible.
However, if you admit fault during the accident, this will inevitably reduce the settlement you will receive. More information might come to light that might suggest that the other party is at fault, but your initial admission of fault will hurt your case.
What to Do Instead
Immediately after an accident, it's a good idea to exchange only contact information and insurance information with the other party. Then, you will need to get in contact with an auto insurance accident attorney and explain what happened. The attorney may believe you are actually not at fault and may conduct an investigation to prove that this is true.
Auto accident law firms have access to resources that other parties do not have access to. For example, the law firm might have an auto accident reconstructionist working for them that will gather evidence necessary to prove that you are innocent.
For more information, contact an auto accident attorney today.