There are thousands of car accidents across the country every single day. Be it due to
texting distractions or drunk driving, reckless drivers are always on the road and causing mayhem. Due to the commonality of car accidents, it makes sense that rumors about them would start to spread.
Here are five car accident misconceptions you have probably heard and should
not believe:
- You get full compensation if you didn’t cause your crash: New York does require you to carry current Personal Injury Protection
(PIP) insurance that will pay you a certain amount for damages after a
car accident, no matter who caused the crash. However, there is no guarantee
your own insurance company’s PIP policy will cover all your damages.
Most often, it will not. If you need more compensation for your damages,
like medical bills and lost wages, you will have to file a third-party
claim against the other driver who hit you. Getting the help of a car
accident lawyer will improve your odds of succeeding in that claim. - Police reports are always going to prove liability: The police should be called to any car accident scene that involves a serious
injury or that disrupts traffic flow. While there, the responding officer
should create a report of what they saw and what they were told by the
parties involved. While this police report can be useful, it doesn’t
prove liability. The officer might not even indicate who they think is
to blame for the crash to try to remain neutral and objective. Police
reports become more useful when placed in the hands of a personal injury
attorney who knows how to read, interpret, and use it for a claim. - Rear-end accidents always put all the blame on the rear car: Were you hit from behind while waiting at a stoplight? You might think
you’re technically lucky because it should be obvious that the other
driver is at fault. However, there are times when the front car in a rear-end
accident has contributory liability. For example, the other driver might
say you cut them off, that your brake lights weren’t functioning,
or that you even reversed into them. While this can be frustrating, it
does mean that you could make the same arguments if you are ever the rear car
in a rear-end accident that you don’t think was your fault. - Insurance companies offer fair settlements: You might be understandably excited to get a letter from the other driver’s
insurance company that starts talking about a settlement offer. But don’t
get so excited that you accept the settlement and give your signature
right away. Insurance companies have a long history of offering lowballed
settlements for claims they know they aren’t likely to win in hopes
the claimant accepts the lower amount. Always run any settlement offer
you receive from an insurer by your car accident attorney first. - Lawyers are too expensive to hire: If you are living on minimum wages, you can’t afford a car accident
lawyer, right?
Wrong. Personal injury attorneys, including car accident lawyers, work for contingency
fees. You won’t have to pay any attorney fees unless your case ends
with you receiving a settlement or verdict amount. You also only pay them
a percentage of your winnings, like 25-to-40%. Basically, you pay nothing
upfront for an injury lawyer’s services and you never have to pay
them more than you can afford.
Have more questions about car accident claims? Need to file one for yourself?
Get answers and guidance from Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices.
Our highly experienced legal team is here to help you sort the facts of
your case from fiction, so you can build a strong claim in pursuit of
fair, maximized compensation.
Call us at (718) 690-3132 to begin with a FREE consultation.