Who Should I Call When the At-Fault Driver Won’t Respond After an Accident?
Being involved in a car collision can be a stressful experience, especially if it was not your mistake. Most states have their insurance coverage based on who is at-fault and the driver responsible can be sued for the damages. Even if you were involved in a minor accident, or a major collision, it can be extremely frustrating if the at-fault driver does not co-operate or respond. Here are your options if the party at-fault is not responsive.
Duty of Cooperation Requirement by Insurance Companies
Insurance companies require the policy holder to fulfil the duty of cooperation where they are required to work with the insurer if the policy claim occurs. The policy holder is required to participate and show full disclosure to the investigation of the insurance claim based on this agreement. However, when a policy holder refuses to co-operate their insurance company may deny them the coverage. But this does not help your situation. This is definitely a breach of trust but you legally do not have any liberty to compel the at-fault driver to cooperate with the investigation. Your own insurance company may be able to help you take care of the damages by paying out your damage claim. This can help you get your vehicle fixed while pursuing legal remedies to get the at-fault driver to respond. Being in this situation can be complicated and a car accident attorney can help you work through the legalities of the situation.
Risk of Speaking Directly to the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
All insurance companies strive towards protecting their own business profit and the financial interest of their client. Hence, contacting the at-fault driver’s insurance company can prove to be a fatal mistake. The insurance company can use your words against you in the insurance claim even if you may not be at fault during the accident. It is best to hire an expert attorney to work on your case to avoid any such backfires. Insurance company can also outright reject your claims or negotiate the lowest possible claims with you.
You may be in a position to speak with the other insurance company in rare scenarios such as when the other driver is definitely at fault but has refused to speak, or lied to their own insurance company. Even in such cases, it is best to have a personal injury attorney talk to the insurance company on your behalf and make them aware about the extent of injuries incurred due to the accident and damages occurred.
How can a Good Car Accident Lawyer help you?
If your accident was the fault of other driver’s negligence, it is necessary to hire a professional car accident lawyer like the ones at Ellis Injury Law to improve your odds of successfully receiving the claims compensation. If you try to fight your claim by yourself, you may fall into the trap of insurance companies who are vested in their own financial benefits. A good attorney knows how to navigate through the legal system and has experience in fighting the scheming used by insurance companies. A professional attorney can create the best strategy to file a personal injury lawsuit or to secure compensation from your own insurance company.
