SpiritOne
Have you recently been in a car accident? Auto accidents can be traumatizing, especially if your car has been damaged too much and you suffered injuries. While all of this isn’t enough, the stress increases by several folds if the at-fault driver lies about it and tries to blame you when it really wasn’t your fault.
The false testimony of the other party can jeopardize your claims with the insurance company and make it difficult for you to get the insurance coverage that you’re eligible for. The worst thing about this situation is that you may not always have enough proof to show that the at-fault driver is lying about the situation and the accident wasn’t your fault.
If you’ve been in an accident and the at-fault driver is lying about it to the insurance company, the first thing that you need to do is hire an auto accident attorney to make a case in your favor to get you the insurance coverage you’re lawfully eligible for.
This blog post discusses in detail what you can do if the at-fault driver lies about the accident to the insurance company.
Why Would an At-Fault Driver Lie?
If it’s your first time dealing with a lying party that’s making it difficult for you to make the insurance company pay for the damages and injuries, you may want to understand why they are lying about it. It may not make sense to you now, but there’s a good reason for it.
Some of the most common reasons why at-fault drivers lie following an auto accident are listed below:
They’re Trying to Save Money
The at-fault driver has to bear hefty costs after a car accident. The expense that they’ve got to bear depends entirely on the extent of damages. The at-fault driver has to pay not only for the damages that they’ve caused to the other car in the accident but also for the injuries they’ve caused to the other driver and all people affected by the accident. This is not it. They also have to pay for public property damages if the collision goes beyond the road. It includes damages to the sidewalks, sign boards, landscapes, and other cars that got damaged during the accident. No wonder the at-fault driver chooses to lie!
They’re Trying to Protect Themselves from Fines
While you may think that’s about it, it’s not. Depending on which traffic rules and laws they broke, the at-fault driver also has to pay fines. They’d be charged with speeding tickets and fines if over-speeding caused the accident. They’ll also be charged heavily if the cause of the accident is a distraction like a mobile phone. The at-fault driver may be driving while drunk, which itself is a violation of law, and the driver will be charged for it.
They’re Saving Themselves from Increased Insurance Premiums
The at-fault driver will also have to pay a higher insurance premium if they’re proven guilty of being at fault in an accident. The at-fault driver also lies to ensure their insurance company doesn’t increase their premium.
What Can You Do?
The at-fault driver has plenty of reasons to lie and not take responsibility for the accident. But what can you do in this situation? Don’t worry. There are a few options for you:
Tell the Truth and Don’t Skip the Details
If the at-fault driver is lying, you may think that your version of the accident won’t count. But you must narrate the incident honestly before the insurance company and point out every little detail you remember, no matter how insignificant it may feel. You should stick to your truth no matter what the other party tells you. When the insurance company finds prominent differences between the two accounts, with your story being consistent every time, they’ll eventually know who’s at fault.
Gather Evidence
Right after you’ve been in an accident and you’ve called emergency services and the police. Then you should take pictures of the scene to show the real picture as closely as you can. Don’t wait for the police to arrive at the scene. Take charge and preserve the evidence. File a police report. Let the police gather witnesses and other pieces of evidence. Your case will become stronger if the other driver previously had a history of tickets such as speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, etc. All of these proofs will strengthen your case.
Contain Your Anger
You never know who may give a statement that could go against you. You may be boiling in anger after an accident, and you may be tempted to hit the other driver. But if you do any such thing and a witness reports it, your case will weaken, and the chances of your insurance company entertaining your claim will reduce. You must keep your calm and wait for the police to come and take charge.
Hire an Expert Accident Attorney
Your best bet at winning such cases is to work with an expert accident attorney who has prior experience with turning cases around where their client’s insurance claim was denied due to a false statement of the at-fault driver. Accident lawyers know what evidence they need and how to convince the insurance company about the truth of your statement. They’ve got a way of dealing with insurance companies, and they can take better care of the situation than you can on your own.
Final Word
If your insurance company has denied your insurance claim because the at-fault driver gave a convincing false statement, hiring an accident lawyer can turn things around for you. Trying to manage things on your own can complicate the situation further and increase your stress levels.
If you want to know more about accident law and how to tackle tricky situations, visit our blog Spirit One. We might be able to answer some, if not all, questions that you may have concerning accident law.
