You did the old school “Count to three” drill before making a turn at a busy intersection. Although you thought the coast was clear, another driver in a hurry and carelessly operating a motor vehicle blew through a red light and crashed into your car.
The strong impact not only damaged your vehicle, it also caused a severe case of whiplash and a powerful concussion. With medical bills mounting and the repair bill for your vehicle running more than $1,000, you are dismayed when your insurance company claims you were at fault for causing the red light accident.
Auto insurance companies have just one goal: To minimize payouts, while maximizing payouts. If you were involved in a car accident caused by a driver that blew through a red light, and your insurer claims you caused the wreck, then the time has come to get an attorney involved that knows how to convince auto insurance companies to settle claims.
Disputing Fault in an Auto Accident Cases
Many auto insurance companies create internal policies that determine how to assign fault in accident cases. The insurers send investigators into the field to determine which party was negligent while operating a motor vehicle. You might have to provide a formal written statement describing the events leading up to the crash, as well as explain your story to an insurance adjuster.
Despite any overwhelming evidence you believe helps your claim, your insurance company might rule that you caused the accident. The decision to find you at fault puts your insurer off the financial hook for paying for vehicle damages, as well as taking care of your soaring health care bills.
The most effective way to dispute fault is to arrive at your insurance company’s office armed with plenty of physical and anecdotal evidence. This includes filing a formal law enforcement report detailing the facts of the red light accident.
Know How to Make Insurers Pay for Negligence
Notice how the word “insurer” turned into “insurers.” You should expect two companies to get involved with a claim: Your insurance company and the insurance company representing the other driver. Both companies will work hard to avoid paying any expenses, which means you need to gather strong evidence that proves the other driver was negligent by running a red light.
The first step for proving negligence involves getting a hold of the official police report. Insurance companies place more emphasis on what is within a police report than the emphasis they place on any other type of evidence. A police report will clearly describe the events that unfolded before the accident, as well as make a determination of which driver caused the accident.
The police report attached to your claim might also include information gleaned from one or more security cameras. A security camera can make it clear whether the other driver ran a red light. The camera will show images of when the traffic light turned yellow, as well as how far the other vehicle was from the intersection when the traffic light turned red.
The Benefits of a Free Case Evaluation
It is a good idea to know how strong your auto insurance claim is before you present it to your insurance company. A free case evaluation can help you decide whether the other driver was negligent by running a red light. Schedule a free initial consultation to move the insurance claim process forward.
