Should I get a Lawyer for a Car Accident that was my fault?

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Jane, an American civil servant beautifully dressed in her floral penciled gown was on her way one beautiful morning, she had a car accident, obviously, she never planned any of it, maybe if she knew she would have stayed back at home reason being that she was already late for work.

She was driving at a higher speed just to get to work before her bus.

“Buzz Buzz Buzzz” her phone rang.

While she was trying to remove her phone from her bag with her right hand while her left hand was placed on the wheel, she lost focus and ran head over heels into the car before her.

In this situation, Jane was clearly at fault for overspeeding and distraction. Then the question is “Should Jane get a lawyer for this accident that was her fault?”. There are people with this same question as Jane.

Table of Contents

Should I get a Lawyer For an Accident that was my fault?

Yes, If an accident happens to be your fault, you should get a lawyer. Someone has been injured due to your distraction, here, your legal and financial interests are at stake which must be protected. You can’t handle things for yourself in this instance, you can only make matters worse.

So the very first step you can take to save you hassle is to hire an auto car accident lawyer. It is this lawyer who will help you deal with the insurance company of the victim and alleviate whatever case has been leveled against you, a lawyer can help you resolve your case as well as defend you in court.

What Should I Do If an Accident was My Fault?

Contact a Lawyer

Anything can proceed out of the accident, so it is best to speak with your lawyer before anything and inform him or her about the situation of things to be guided through the process.

Contact the Police

Reaching out to the police is important because they need to come and check the scene of the incidents, get statements from witnesses and involved parties. This police report is one of the pieces of evidence that will be used by your lawyer later.

Cooperation with all Law Enforcement Involved

If it involves more law enforcement, you should give maximum cooperation and avoid getting in the way.

Take Photographs

You can take as many pictures as possible from different angles. These are pictures of damages caused, injuries, etc.

Get Medical Aids

If you are injured in an accident, do well to take care of yourself.

Inform Your Insurance Company

Let your lawyer inform your insurance company as they will be the one covering the damages caused. So you need to inform them as soon as possible so your coverage doesn’t get canceled.

What Should I not Do if an Accident was my Fault?

Don’t leave the scene

if an accident was your fault, do stay at the scene until your attorney and the police ask you to leave and this is only when you’ve provided the necessary information.

Do not Move Your Car

On no account should you move your car except you are told to move it by law enforcement.

Do not Discard or Keep any Evidence

Whatever will aid the case must be kept. Do not destroy, discard or keep evidence to yourself.

Don’t Discuss with Anyone

After the accident, the only person you are to reach out to is your lawyer, he or she then calls the police or tells you to do so. Aside from that, don’t discuss with the other party’s lawyer or insurers. Let your lawyer handle it all to avoid falling into error.

What Will My Insurance Cover if I am at Fault?

Typically, car insurance covers the damages caused by a car accident, however, depending on the kind of policy your coverage covers and the state you live in. Because there are “Fault-based states and no fault-based states.” California is an example of a fault-based state.

Nevertheless, liability car insurance which is fault-based covers the compensation of the damages done to the other party if you are at fault depending on the limits of your coverage. So it covers medical bills, injuries, lost earnings, economic and non-economic damages, etc.

Most States make liability coverage obligatory while the at-fault person damages will be covered by his or her collision coverage.

In a no-fault state, such as New Jersey, the medical bills and other medical expenses will be paid by each driver’s PIO insurance. This does not cover property damages or repairs. So it is advisable to purchase collision coverage alongside your PIP.

Will My Insurance Percentage Go Up If a Car Accident was My Fault?

Yes, when it is time for policy renewal, your insurance rate will surely be increased depending on how serious the accident was and how much was insured out of your coverage to cover the damages. For instance, an accident with few injuries won’t increase the insurance rate much as a serious injury accident would do.

So your state and insurance company type will determine how stuck you will be with increased insurance rates. However, your rates can get reduced each year without an accident. So to reduce your rate, try to take a defensive driving class and ask for a discount from your insurance company.

Conclusion

If you are at fault for an accident due to overspeeding, drunkenness, distraction, etc. Try to get a lawyer. Getting an auto car accident lawyer should be the very first step you take because with an experienced auto accident lawyer if you are at fault, he or she knows how to walk you through without making a mess of your situation.

If you ever find yourself in Jane’s situation, get a lawyer and do well to jot down and memorize the do’s and dont’s listed above.