Being involved in a car accident can be one of the most traumatic incidents that can happen in life. The pain and injuries caused can be extensive and some people, unfortunately, end up with injuries or disabilities which affect them for life. The situation is made even worse if you were the innocent victim in an accident but someone else blames you for what happened.
Wrongly Accused of Being at Fault in a Car Accident?
This can cause major stress, as even if you were not responsible, you may be worried about what will happen if the jury decides that you were. It can be incredibly difficult to know how to cope with this situation if you don’t have the right advice and support. To help anyone who has been wrongly accused of being at fault in a car accident, here’s what you should do.
Do Not Admit Blame
The first thing that you absolutely must not do is admit blame. It doesn’t matter if you feel like you may have been fully or even partly responsible for an accident, you should never accept responsibility either at the scene or later.
If you do, the other side will have grounds to make a claim against you which could see you being liable for a huge amount of compensation. A car accident can be very traumatic and you may be shaken up and not thinking straight in the immediate aftermath.
Hire an Experienced Attorney
After any car accident where there are legal disputes or compensation claims. An experienced car accident attorney will have dealt with these kinds of cases many times before and will know exactly how to go about preparing your defence. It can be a very worrying time if someone makes a false accusation against you but your attorney will be able to reassure you and explain how they are going to prove that you were not the responsible party.
Get the Police Report from the Scene
The police report can be very useful in showing who was really responsible for the accident. They will have taken statements at the accident scene from all the parties involved as well as any eyewitnesses and will have also made their own determination of what happened based on the damage and position of vehicles. Presenting a favourable police report in court can go a long way to absolving you of responsibility for which you are being unjustly held.
Gather the Evidence
As well as the police report there is other important evidence that will help you prove your innocence. This may include medical reports, witness statements, CCTV footage, and mechanics’ reports. Leave the gathering of this evidence to your attorney because they will know what is needed and how to get it. Just by showing this evidence to the other side, they may drop their accusations and may even offer you an out-of-court settlement.
File a Counter Suit
Whether they drop their case or not, one thing you may want to consider is filing a countersuit against the other party, especially if it was actually they who were responsible for the accident. just the threat of this may be enough to make them withdraw their allegations and even potentially offer you a settlement to cover your injuries and other damages.
Present Your Case in Court
If nothing else has worked then you will need to present your case in court so that the jury can decide the truth. Listen to your attorney who will prepare your case, complete all the relevant paperwork, and explain the whole process to you. Have faith in the justice system, follow your attorney’s device and the case will have every chance of going in your favour.
Unfortunately, false accusations after a vehicle accident are not uncommon. People may be worried about the consequences of their actions or they may be instructed by their insurance company or legal representatives to try and shift blame onto someone else. The most important thing is that if you are wrongly accused is to stay calm and hire an experienced attorney.