Car accidents can inflict serious injury and cause significant damage to your car and other property inside your vehicle. If you are involved in a crash, you may be eligible for compensation to cover your losses. Here are some car accident compensation laws you need to know.
At-fault laws
In California, the law holds you accountable for an accident that you cause on the road. That means you are bound to pay the other party compensation for any injury or damages caused. On top of that, you must also have insurance for injury and damages to your car.
California’s pure comparative negligence law
Some motor vehicle accidents occur because both drivers did something that contributed to the crash. One driver could be at fault and thus liable, but the other driver could have done something that provoked them to cause the accident. For example, you could partly be liable if you were driving slightly beyond the speed limit when another driver hit you.
According to pure comparative negligence law, your compensation will reduce by the percentage of your contribution to the accident. The driver who hit you could be deemed 75% at fault and thus will pay 75% of the total compensation.
Things not to do in an accident
If you want to get your full compensation, there are some mistakes that you need to avoid in the event of an accident. For instance, never admit fault, even if you were partially responsible for the accident. You could be totally innocent, but your admission can affect the judges or the insurance company’s decision regarding your compensation.
Never say that you don’t feel hurt. Some injuries take a while to show, so saying that you are not injured and then claiming later that you were indeed hurt could make you lose your compensation. Everything you do or say has an impact on your case, so it is helpful to know more about car accident laws in California.
