California has more licensed drivers than any other state in the country. With all of those drivers on the road, there are bound to be accidents. When you`re in an accident, you should call the police and wait for them to arrive. Any lawyer will tell you that you should never admit to guilt at the scene. However, if you are at fault, there are some consequences and penalties of causing a car accident.
Criminal Charges
If you were driving under the influence of alcohol, recklessly, or without a license or insurance, you may end up facing criminal charges. This can mean license suspension, fines, and even jail time. It is expensive and time-consuming to deal with any traffic violation charge.
Increase In Insurance Costs
If you cause an accident, your insurance rate will likely go up. If you have been in a crash, you should contact an attorney who is trained in personal injury after a car accident no matter if the accident was your fault or the fault of someone else.
Why Proving Fault is Important
As you may know there are 2 types of insurance law in the US; fault and no-fault. In the case of a no-fault state, a client`s insurance will pay their accident-related bill no matter which one caused the crash. In a case of a fault state, the person who caused the crash should pay the related bills.
California is a pure comparative fault state, which means that each party involved in the accident must pay for the portion of the accident they caused. For example, if you were 20% responsible for an accident and the other driver was 80% responsible, you would have to pay 20% of the other driver`s bills and their insurance would pay 80%.
Insurance companies often debate who is responsible for an accident. They may also argue about a person’s level of responsibility. A personal injury attorney can argue your case with the insurance company. If an insurance company offers you a settlement that you know is too small, an injury attorney can negotiate and fight for the money you deserve.
It May Affect Your Ability to Get Certain Jobs
If you are interested in a job as a driver or a position that requires some driving, a car accident can prevent you from getting the job. A company must have a copy of your driving record before they hire you.
If you have an accident that you caused on your record, a company may not hire you because they are afraid of the liability. If they hire you and you get into an accident, the company may be sued for their negligence. Hiring a person with a poor driving record may cause their insurance price to increase.
If you are accused of causing an accident, you may need both a criminal lawyer and a personal injury attorney.
There are quite a few consequences for causing an accident. Keep your eyes on the road, and follow the law, but have a lawyer’s number on hand if you need them.
