
When a car accident causes serious injuries, the situation often becomes a “he said, she said.” Your testimony can still be useful in a personal injury case, but you should know that it’s not the only thing you’ll need to prove fault. A Monmouth County car accident lawyer from our firm can help you build a more compelling case and help you hold a negligent driver or another party accountable.
What Kinds of Evidence Can Help Me Prove Fault?
You can begin building your case in the immediate aftermath. When you pull over and exchange information with another driver, you should:
- Take pictures of the accident scene and any damage to the vehicles
- Talk to witnesses and get their contact information
- Look for nearby security cameras that may have caught the accident
Once the cops have been called to the scene, they can write up a police report that could be useful evidence. While you are waiting, you should not make any statements that could admit fault. If you have the urge to apologize, don’t. Someone could use that against you and try to claim that you were at fault here.
How Can a Lawyer Help Me Prove Fault?
After the accident, you should see a doctor and talk to a lawyer. Your doctor can diagnose any medical issues and your records can serve as additional evidence in your case. A lawyer can help you secure footage from nearby cameras or subpoena cellphone records if you think that the other driver was distracted by their phone at the time of the accident. Your lawyer could also connect you with an accident reconstruction expert who can show how the crash occurred and how the other driver was to blame.
What Can I Do If I’m Accused of Being at Fault?
Most drivers are not going to take the accusation that they caused an accident lying down. Another party involved in the accident can accuse you of being at fault, and this can be a problem. New Jersey uses a modified comparative negligence rule. You cannot sue for damages if it’s determined that you are more than 51% at fault for a crash. Even if you are only partly to blame, you can have your compensation reduced.
Your lawyer will defend you and help you gather the evidence needed to show that the other party was at fault here. You want to do your best to build a case that shows that you are not to blame for the accident at all because you do not want your final award reduced. Say that you win your case and $200,000 in compensation, but you’re 20% to blame. You lose 20% of your compensation and get $160,000 instead. We want to help you avoid that kind of situation.
Schedule a Free Consultation
If you want to learn more about your legal options and how our personal injury lawyers can help you after a car accident, contact Falcon Law Firm. We can schedule a free consultation and tell you what it takes to prove fault in a case like this.