Placing blame after a car crash does not diminish the harm caused by that collision. Proving that the other driver at fault for a wreck cannot un-break someone’s leg or undo the damage to their vehicle. However, those who can establish that another party was at fault for an injurious crash are at least in a position where they could potentially seek financial compensation for their losses.
It is generally the responsibility of the party at fault to cover the financial losses generated when a crash occurs. They typically do so by providing insurance coverage. However, they may also be subject to personal injury lawsuits if they do not have enough insurance coverage to fully reimburse the people affected by the collision.
Even when one person is very clearly at fault for a crash, they may try to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. They may even lie to the police after a wreck. How can an injury victim effectively establish fault after a car crash?
Video footage can help
There are many different types of cameras that could potentially capture either a collision or the moments right before or after a crash occurs. Some intersections have traffic cameras recording everything that happens nearby. Other locations may have security cameras that capture part of the road or an intersection. More drivers than ever before now have dashboard cameras installed. If the vehicles involved in the crash or other motorists nearby have dashboard cameras, it may be possible to prove who is to blame for the wreck.
Witnesses can provide insight
Frequently, collisions occur at busy locations where there may be multiple other vehicles nearby. Occupants of vehicles not involved in the collision can potentially provide witness statements affirming what transpired immediately before or during a crash. Pedestrians and even those inside nearby businesses could also potentially serve as witnesses who can affirm what happened before or during a collision.
Professionals can reconstruct the crash
There are forensic specialists who take details about vehicle damage and photographs of the scene of a crash to recreate what happened to cause that vehicle damage. Such specialists often require evidence about the scene of the crash, making it important for people to document what they can before they move their vehicles after a collision occurs.
When the driver at fault for a motor vehicle collision tries to deny responsibility for the incident, the other parties involved may need to take extra steps to hold them personally accountable. Establishing fault is a crucial step for those in need of compensation after a wreck.