Who is at Fault in Rear-End Car Accidents in Georgia?

In most car accidents, each driver argues that the other driver was the person who caused the accident. Rarely are car accidents as straightforward as a scenario in which Driver A was simply minding his own business and obeying the rules of the road when Driver B came along and crashed into his car. Therefore, many car insurance companies base their settlement offers on the percentage of each driver’s fault for the accident. One would imagine that rear-end collisions would be one of the easier situations when it comes to assigning fault for a car accident, and often they are. Still, determining fault for rear-end collisions may sometimes be complicated and will require  a car accident injury attorney’s involvement.

Is the Driver in Back Always at Fault?

Usually, the driver whose vehicle rear-ends another vehicle bears all or most of the responsibility for the accident. That driver normally receives a citation for following the other driver too closely (tailgating) and driving too fast for conditions in stop-and-go traffic. Even though liability is usually clear in rear-end accidents, oftentimes the at-fault driver will point to the actions of the person they hit to justify the reason for the collision. On some occasions, the facts support that some liability should be assessed to the person whose vehicle was rear-ended.

The following are some situations in which the drivers in front have been held responsible for rear-end crashes.

• The driver in front changes lanes without signaling or without allowing enough space between his or her own car and the one following behind their car.
• The driver in front does not have working brake lights, so the driver in back cannot tell that he or she is about to stop.

When to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

Rear-end car accidents are a leading cause of whiplash, an injury that causes chronic neck and back pain. If you are injured in a rear-end collision, consult a personal injury attorney before you speak with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The personal injury lawyers at our firm can tell you if the insurance company’s assignment of fault is correct and ensure that you get the help you deserve.

Contact CP Law Group About Rear-End Car Accidents

Just because your car rear-ended another car, it does not necessarily mean that you are at fault. Contact CP Law Group at 1-844-5-I’M-HURT (1-844-546-4878) to get the help you deserve.

(image courtesy of Redouane el Hamidi)