Most people end up involved in car accidents at some point in their lifetime. However, even though car accidents are not uncommon, that does not make them any less terrifying for those involved. There are various steps that those involved in a car accident should take, and we always caution readers to worry about what they say following a crash. In particular, you should never admit fault following a car accident in Arizona. There are various reasons why admitting fault is a bad idea, and we want to discuss this with you here.
There is very little communication that you actually need to do following a car accident. First, you need to check yourself and your passengers for any injuries, and then move on to others involved to see if they sustained injuries. You should call 911 and report the collision to the police and ensure that emergency personnel are on the way to the scene. Aside from exchanging insurance information with the other drivers involved, your communication with anyone else needs to be very limited.
These are just a few of the many phrases that could end up meaning that you are accepting liability (fault) for the incident. You should not utter these phrases to other drivers or passengers involved or to any law enforcement officer that arrives.
It is the job of the police officers and the insurance carriers to analyze the facts of the case and any evidence gathered to determine what happened and who was at fault. What a person may not realize is that there are often many contributing factors to a crash, and a driver who thinks they may be at fault may not realize that other drivers contributed to the incident as well.
Drivers who think they caused a crash may not realize that day are likely entitled to compensation. Arizona operates under a pure comparative negligence system. This means that even drivers partially or almost totally at fault for an incident can still recover compensation (up to 99% at fault). However, the total amount of compensation they receive will be reduced based on their percentage of fault.
Admitting fault at the scene of a crash could dramatically affect how much compensation a car accident victim in Arizona receives. If you have been involved in a crash, the insurance carrier for the other side will do everything they can to place all of the liability on you. This is difficult to do, but if you admit fault at the scene of the crash, you are doing most of their job for them.
If you or somebody you care about has been involved in a car accident, we urge you to seek assistance from a skilled Phoenix personal injury lawyer before you talk to anybody else. A Phoenix car accident attorney can take over your case and handle all communication with other parties so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
John Torgenson is a highly experienced personal injury lawyer with over 20 years of practice in Arizona. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and his Juris Doctor from Notre Dame. John has a proven track record of securing substantial verdicts and settlements, including an $8.25 million recovery for a gunshot injury victim. His expertise has earned him AVVO ratings and recognition as a Super Lawyer.
John is also a sought-after lecturer on personal injury law, sharing his extensive knowledge with peers and aspiring attorneys. Beyond his legal practice, John is an avid golfer and actively supports organizations like the Military Assistance Mission, Arizona School for the Arts, Page Balloon Regatta, University of Arizona Foundation, Junior Achievement of Arizona, and the Tim Huff Pro Bono Golf Classic.
Passionate about advocating for injury victims, John dedicates his career to battling insurance companies and corporate interests, ensuring that the rights of those who are hurt are vigorously defended.
