Rear-end accidents are some of the most common accidents in the state of Indiana. If you’re lucky, you’ll walk away with a damaged vehicle and minor injuries. However, many rear-end accidents result in life-threatening injuries that could change your life forever.
What are the statistics for rear-end accidents?
One study revealed that rear-end car accidents make up nearly 30% of accidents that result in serious injuries. Worse still, these accidents make up 7% of accident-related fatalities. While some people dismiss these collisions as “fender-benders,” rear-end accidents can cause broken bones, fractures, brain damage, internal bleeding and death. Thousands of people have filed lawsuits after they lost a loved one in a car accident.
Generally, the driver who hit the vehicle in front of them has to take responsibility for the accident. However, the first driver might be at fault if they made a crucial mistake like stopping in the middle of the road or failing to use their turn lights. The judge might rule that both drivers were at fault, reducing the amount of damages that the victim can recover.
Should you file a lawsuit if you were partially responsible?
You could still pursue a lawsuit even if you believe that you were partially responsible for the accident. Just because you think you were responsible doesn’t mean that you actually are–it’s hard to look at the situation objectively. The other party might not be able to prove it unless you claimed responsibility after the wreck.
Even if a judge rules that you’re partially responsible, you could still get thousands of dollars in damages. For example, if your damages are $100,000 but the judge determines that you were 20% responsible, you’ll still get $80,000. The judge could look at multiple pieces of evidence before deciding who was responsible for the crash.
