No matter whether you think of yourself as a good person who always tries to do the right thing, know that your moral compass points in the wrong direction more often than not, or are somewhere in between, you should never voluntarily take the blame after a car accident. Erring on the side of caution is crucial to ensuring that your rights are protected and the truth is discovered. Even if you believe that you are responsible for the accident, it is much wiser not to address this vital issue until you have had some time to reflect on it – and possibly to get an attorney’s perspective.
Accidents can be hectic scenes full of confusion, anxious drivers, frayed nerves, major or minor personal injuries, debris-strewn roadways, and gawking passers-by. Such circumstances make it virtually impossible just to flesh out the details, let alone assess them for importance. You may think that you got rear-ended because you stopped too fast, but what if the law says the accident was the fault of the other driver for following too closely? You also won’t be helping your situation by accepting any blame that the other driver tries to force on you. An accusation doesn’t make it true.
In the disorienting moments that follow a car accident, you might believe that it was your fault. However, there is no way to know that for sure without having all the details from all the other parties. Be polite, but don’t admit responsibility. Determining fault is for the experts – let them do their job.
There’s a lot riding on the statements made at the site, which can ultimately hurt your case or come back to haunt you if the other driver decides to sue. Any discussions with other motorists, the police, and insurance companies should stick to the bare facts and not involve any admission of fault. There is a process for figuring out liability, and insurance adjusters who know what to look for. It’s best to let these experts do their jobs because fault is not a bar to recovery under Florida negligence law. This means you can be partly to blame for the accident and your compensation is only reduced by that amount. Why take all the fault and have your insurance premium go up accordingly if you aren’t to blame? Or risk being sued for damages you didn’t cause? With an admission of guilt, some untrustworthy parties will take advantage of the situation and fabricate injuries or their severity in hopes of more compensation.
Contact the Miami Personal Injury Attorneys at Stabinski Law
Don’t accept liability for something that hasn’t been proven to be your fault. If you’ve been in a vehicle accident, speak to an experienced attorney who can effectively represent your interests and who knows how to investigate accident scenes. As one of South Florida's most respected and oldest law firms, Stabinski Law has helped many people sort out their legal rights, responsibilities, and remedies. For 45 years, we have been the trusted advocates for countless accident victims, and we are highly experienced in handling a wide range of auto and truck accident cases. We also work on a contingency basis, which means that if there is no recovery, there is no fee or cost to you.
If you wish to learn more about how our firm can be of assistance to you, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation by calling 305-676-2784 or filling out a case evaluation form.