The Insurance Company Is Blaming Me for My Accident – What Should I Do?
Call an Erie accident attorney immediately! If the insurance company is blaming you for an automobile accident you did not cause, you need an attorney right now. Blaming the victim for causing an accident is one way an insurance company tries to limit its liability for an injury claim. Do not accept blame for an accident until you talk to an attorney. Even if you believe you might be partially at fault for causing the crash, you could still be entitled to some compensation for your injuries and losses.
Why is the Insurance Company Trying to Blame Me for Causing the Crash?
To recover compensation for an injury claim, you are required to prove that the other driver was “at fault” or was responsible for the cause of the crash. If you are to blame for the cause of the crash, you cannot recover money for an insurance claim against the other driver. Therefore, the insurance company may be trying to blame you so that it does not have to pay your injury claim. If it believes that the cause of the crash is difficult to prove, it might believe it has a chance of denying your claim based on lack of evidence proving fault.
However, the insurance company might also be trying to lower the value of your injury claim under Pennsylvania’s comparative fault laws. Under the theory of comparative fault, compensation may be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned to a person for causing the accident. In other words, if you are partially to blame for the cause of the crash, the insurance company would not be required to pay as much to settle your injury claim. Under Pennsylvania law, if the insurance company can prove that you were 51 percent or more at fault for the crash, it would not be required to pay anything for your injury claim.
The Importance of an Accident Investigation
Proving fault is crucial if you want to recover money for an accident claim. Therefore, a thorough accident investigation is required to determine the cause of the crash and identify the parties who contributed to the cause of the crash. A police report is not sufficient proof of who caused the accident. You need evidence beyond a statement by a police officer that a driver’s actions contributed to the cause of a crash to prove fault and liability. Evidence might include eyewitness statements, physical evidence, photographs, and videos.
In some cases, accident experts may be hired to reconstruct the accident to determine the cause and fault. When an accident involves catastrophic injuries or permanent disabilities, proving that the other driver was fully at fault for the crash is vital to ensure that the victim receives maximum compensation for injuries and damages.
Contact an Erie Accident Attorney for More Information
Being injured in an accident is a life-changing experience. You should not need to battle an insurance company for the compensation you deserve for an accident that was not your fault. We stand for the rights of accident victims and fight for fair compensation for an injury claim.
Contact The Travis Law Firm at (800) 401-2066 to schedule a free consultation with an accident attorney in Erie.