Car insurance companies can look at police accident reports, talk to eyewitnesses, and use accident reconstruction teams to find out who caused a collision on a Modesto highway.
However, even when the proof is conclusive, insurance adjusters can dispute the findings, especially if their policyholder is found responsible. They may want to push the fault on innocent victims simply to save money on a settlement check.
Fortunately, for victims, a skilled Modesto car accident lawyer can also use all of these resources to show who was truly to blame. When an accident only involves very minor injuries or just property damage, victims may not need a lawyer’s protection when dealing with an at-fault driver’s auto insurance provider.
But when a serious injury is involved, victims can benefit from hiring a lawyer. A lawyer can fight back when insurers try to shift blame and can also often secure much more in compensation for clients than they could earn by taking on a giant insurer themselves.
How Your Attorney Finds Evidence to Prove Who Was to Blame in a Modesto Accident
A lawyer on your side can make a major difference in a car accident case involving a serious injury. Medical bills and physical therapy costs will pile up quickly, and this triggers insurance companies to instruct their adjusters to fight hard to avoid accepting blame.
Adjusters can try to blame other drivers for what happened and even question doctors about how bad your injuries are. They do this to get away with rejecting your injury claim or to convince you to accept much less than you need to rebuild your health and your life.
Your attorney fights back and, with the right evidence, can make it much less likely that a car insurance provider can wiggle out of accountability for a bad driver.
These are just some of the ways your lawyer would prove what really caused an accident:
Looking at a Police Accident Report. Police collision reports prepared by an investigating Modesto Police Officer or the California Highway Patrol (CHP) can serve as evidence of who was to blame. However, the report is from an officer who probably didn’t witness what happened. It’s just the officer’s opinion of what occurred. It can be disputed in court. Insurance adjusters for at-fault drivers can also reject what’s in a collision report. It’s why your attorney will also rely on hard evidence to prove your innocence and secure support for your recovery.
Listening to the Drivers. Your attorney would listen to everything you had to say about what happened. Insurance companies may also take into account what the drivers involved say. However, they’ll definitely favor any account that takes the blame off their policyholder. In fact, you should avoid talking to the at-fault driver’s insurer. If they call you, only give basic information. Don’t agree to give a recorded statement talking about what happened. Insurers take these statements so they can try to twist them later to hurt your case. Refer them to your attorney. You can rest assured that your lawyer will handle all other communications with insurance companies and other attorneys.
Letting the Evidence Talk. Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto will take any photos and information that victims collected at the scene and combine it with their investigation. Evidence like witness testimony and surveillance video will be collected. Medical charts and invoices will show the extent of an injury and the cost of treatment. The more evidence victims have, the harder it is for insurers to deny blame and to question the seriousness of the consequences.
Accident Reconstruction Teams. An experienced lawyer will also bring in accident reconstruction teams to help clear up confusion after an accident. The reconstruction team’s report will serve as powerful evidence to bring against an insurance company that doesn’t want to provide a fair car crash settlement check to recovering victims.
Contact a Modesto Car Accident Attorney
Victims of car accidents and their families are granted up to two years to file an injury claim to seek recovery support. It’s important to act quickly. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to collect fresh evidence and locate witnesses. Surveillance video proving your innocence may also end up erased if you delay.
Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto to schedule a free, confidential consultation with a real Modesto car accident lawyer. We want to hear what happened to you. We’re going to answer your questions and make sure you are prepared for the insurance tactics you’ll face so you don’t forfeit valuable support.
There’s no obligation when you talk to us, but if you feel we can help you get the most out of your injury claim, you’ll need no upfront money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement you receive.