How is liability in car accidents determined?

On Behalf of | Jun 10, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

When you get in a car accident, one of the first issues that arises is the question of whether you are at fault.

Knowing how to determine liability is especially important to figure out how you should proceed legally.

At the scene

As with many accidents, law enforcement will be on the scene as soon as possible and will ask witnesses questions about what happened. This leads to a detailed description regarding the scene of the crash. However, sometimes in sparsely populated areas there is a higher likelihood officials will not be able to show up promptly, which may lead to different procedures.

Ask for the police report

You should ask for a copy of the police report. Having a record on file can help you learn facts you may not know, such as conclusions about who was speeding based on tire tracks left at the scene. You can also try to fix a report if there is an inaccuracy.

Types of collisions

The way the collision plays out does affect what kind of liability you may have in the situation. Rear-end accidents, along with left-turn accidents, provide more clear indications regarding who is at fault.

Typically, the person who is making the turn or who failed to come to a stop in time and collided into another car, is the one who is liable. Rear-end collisions are easier to decipher since you must leave a safe amount of space while following another car. Failure to do so can easily lead to an accident.