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Being in an accident can create a lot of physical and emotional stress, and possibly even guilt when you think you may have contributed to the circumstances of that accident.
No matter what the cause of the accident, it’s important to keep your reason steady, and seek out legal counsel even if you believe you are partially at fault.
What Does At Fault Mean?
Insurance companies will make you believe that if you played even a small role in causing an accident, you cannot recover any damages. These companies call the person who causes an accident “at fault”.
While it is true that being partially at fault may slightly reduce what you can recover from an accident, it absolutely does not mean you are left empty-handed.
The Law is Designed to Give You a Fair Amount
In Arizona, personal injury laws are designed to give each person involved in an accident a fair payout. This works by determining a percentage of fault for each driver involved in an accident.
For example, if someone drove a truck down a highway at 110 miles per hour, and they collided into your car right after you changed lanes, it is obvious that they are to blame for the accident.
The truck driver’s insurance company, however, will try to find any small fact they can to partially blame you for the collision. The company may say you changed lanes without signaling or that you were using your GPS instead of paying attention to the road.
If the company verifies one of these facts, it means that you are partially at fault. The company will then use that fact to convince you that you can only get a very small amount of money, or perhaps none at all.
The law states, however, that you deserve a payout that is only reduced to how much you contributed to the accident. In the scenario above, your lawyer could work to convince the insurance company or a jury that your minor contribution to the accident only makes you 10% at fault.
Your lawyer could then argue that the truck driver was 90% at fault because he was speeding on a crowded highway. If the total amount of damages for the accident is $100,000 that means you would collect $90,000 – which is the full amount reduced only by $10,000, which represents the 10% you were at fault.
You Need a Good Lawyer on Your Side
The example above is a little complicated, but it is a very simplified version of what actually happens after an accident.
An experienced personal injury attorney can go over all the small details of the accident with the insurance company, leaving you peace of mind and time to recover. An attorney can also ensure that you will not get bullied by the insurance company and that the company does not give you less than you deserve.
Call for a Free Consultation with Our Arizona Personal Injury Law Firm Today
At the Yearin Law Group, our Scottsdale personal injury lawyers help with every stage of your case from your accident until you receive the compensation you deserve.
If you would like a free consultation with an attorney who has been representing personal injury victims for more than 25 years, call Don Yearin at 480-502-0708.
