What Should You Do if the At-Fault Driver Lies About the Car Crash?

Posted on behalf of TSR Injury Law
on September 29, 2022 in Auto Accidents

The aftermath of a car crash is difficult enough. If the at-fault driver lies about his or her role in the situation, it puts up another obstacle to recovering compensation for your damages. Even if the at-fault driver’s statements are untrue, they give the insurance company more reason to question your account of the crash.

If you think the at-fault driver is lying or exaggerating, it is important to contact an experienced attorney right away. You need a lawyer who has been through this process many times, who knows how to build a strong case and will pursue full compensation.

The Bloomington-based car accident attorneys at TSR Injury Law have secured compensation for many vehicle crash victims. We know how to investigate and gather evidence about the crash and determine the value of your damages.

Is the at-fault driver lying? Call TSR today: (612) TSR-TIME.

Why Some At-Fault Drivers Decide to Lie

Drivers who cause car crashes have an incentive to lie about what happened. If a driver caused a crash, the victim may be able to seek compensation from the driver’s liability insurance. Claims filed against that at-fault driver’s insurance policy could cause his or her insurance premiums to go up.

Drivers may also want to avoid a traffic citation, especially if they have received multiple traffic citations in a short period of time. The driver may be concerned about a license suspension, which can happen if you receive enough moving violations over a certain period.

Sometimes drivers lie because they have been drinking alcohol or are under the influence of drugs. They do not want to face the consequences of a DWI conviction.

Lies At-Fault Drivers May Tell

The driver who caused your crash might lie about a variety of things. For example, the driver may lie and say he or she was not speeding or texting and driving. While the victim may have suspicions that the at-fault driver was speeding or distracted, the at-fault driver may think there is no way you can prove it.

Drivers often lie about whether they were drinking. They do this because there are severe legal consequences for those who are convicted of drinking and driving.

Drivers may also lie about being fatigued or nodding off at the wheel. However, you may have noticed that driver having trouble staying in his or her own lane of traffic. You may even see the other driver yawning when he or she gets out of the car after the crash. Despite it being obvious the other driver is tired, he or she may lie about it.

Some of the other things drivers may lie about include:

Tailgating/following you too closely before the crash
Running a stop sign
Running a red light
Mechanical issues in the vehicle that helped contribute to the crash, such as a recalled part

How Do You Prove Your Account of the Crash?

There is no need to confront the other driver about his or her lies. You do not want to get into a shouting match or physical confrontation with the other driver. The important thing is to present your side of the story and hire an attorney to take on the insurance company on your behalf.

Tell the Police Officer What Happened

When the police arrive at the scene, you can explain what you remember about the crash and the officer will note your statement in the police report. The report may also include the officer’s thoughts on fault for the crash. If the at-fault driver lies to the officer, he or she may be able to spot the lie. Police officers deal with drivers and others who give untrue statements on a regular basis, so they are skilled at spotting lies.

If you think the other driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there is a good chance the officer will figure it out. Driving drunk is illegal and carries severe penalties, so if the officer thinks the other driver may be drunk, the officer may conduct a field sobriety test or breathalyzer test.

Correct Errors on the Police Report

When you or your lawyer obtain a copy of the police report, it is important to make sure the information on it is correct. If there are errors, talk to your lawyer about getting them corrected as quickly as possible. Sometimes correcting an error is as simple as talking to the officer on the phone. However, if it is more complicated, you may need an experienced lawyer to help you get the error removed.

Gather Witness Statements

If there are witnesses to the crash and their statements back up your account of the crash, it is much less likely the at-fault driver’s lies will hold up under scrutiny.

The responding police officer will talk to witnesses. You can also get their contact information and give it to your attorney so he or she can contact them later.

Taking Pictures at the Scene

If you are physically able to do so, you can take pictures of visible injuries and damage to your vehicle. You can also photograph the location of the crash (road signs, landmarks, etc.) and debris or damage to the road (skid marks, broken glass, vehicle parts, etc.).

Staying Consistent

Your actions after the crash can help bolster your credibility. If you are more credible than the other driver, it will be harder for his or her lies to hold up over time. Drivers who lie about a traffic crash will have difficulty remembering what they said and making consistent statements about what happened.

If you want to ensure consistent statements, it is best to stick to the truth and limit what you say about the crash. Tell the responding officer what happened but avoid talking to the insurance company, or at least limit what you say to the insurance company.

Insurance companies know how to trick victims into saying things that could hurt their claims. Insurers may also want to keep you talking. The longer you talk with them, the more likely it is you will say something that you might contradict later.

It is generally best to let your attorney deal with the insurance company. At TSR, we know how to do this because we have been doing it for decades. We know how to build strong cases, as you can see from our proven history of success. We have secured $1 billion in compensation for our clients.

Give Us a Call. We Are Ready to Help

Insurance companies are ready to fight hard to avoid paying full compensation for damages suffered by car crash victims. You need an experienced advocate who has the resources and legal knowledge to fight just as hard for your interests.

TSR Injury Law works on contingency, which means the initial consultation is free. There are no upfront fees to pay before we take your case. Our attorneys do not get paid unless you get paid.

Call today to discuss how we can help: (612) TSR-TIME.

Can I Just Exchange Information Instead of Calling the Police After a Car Crash?

Posted on behalf of TSR Injury Law
on June 30, 2021 in Auto Accidents

Some crash victims may not want to make a big thing out of a crash. They would prefer to exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver and go on their way. They figure they can file a claim on their own and get the compensation they will need from the insurance company without having to get the police involved

In some cases, accidents are not that serious. However, it is difficult to know if you have serious injuries until you are examined by a doctor. Additionally, the damage to your car may be a lot worse than you realize. If you have ever had car trouble you know the cost of repairs can add up quickly. The external damage may not look that bad, but you could have damaged components under the hood.

Below, learn more about why it can be a good idea to call the police after a crash, even if you do not think you have serious injuries.

If you have questions after being involved in a car crash, give us a call to set up a free consultation. We have helped many Minnesota crash victims and are prepared to help you pursue the compensation you need.

Why Only Exchanging Information May be a Bad Idea

How do you know the other driver is giving you his or her real name, phone number and insurance information? Even if he or she shows you a valid driver’s license and insurance card and sends you a text message so you have the phone number in your phone, he or she may not return your calls. If you call the insurance company, they may deny liability – claiming you do not have a case because you did not call the police.

People often forget or put off updating their driver’s license. The address on it may no longer be correct.

Sometimes at-fault drivers try to rush through exchanging information. They may say they have an appointment to get to or some other obligation. They may seem nice and like someone who will take responsibility for their actions. However, you do not know this person. There is no way to know if he or she can be trusted.

Even though Minnesota is a no-fault state, it is important to have a police report from the scene of the crash. Some insurance policies require a police report to even set up a claim. The at fault party may change their story and when you try to make a liability claim, it is denied.

If you do not have a police report, it may be difficult to establish fault. If the driver leaves the scene, you will not have pictures of the damage to his or her vehicle. The insurance company may say the crash could not have been that big of a deal because you did not call the police right away.

Another factor to consider is that your injuries may be much worse than you initially thought. It may take a few hours or days for symptoms to develop, and by that point you could be dealing with a significant amount of pain. If you do not call the police or seek treatment right away, you are giving the insurance company room to claim your injuries were caused by something else.

It is important to establish a strong connection between your injuries and the accident. You can do this by calling the police right away, seeking treatment, and contacting a licensed Bloomington car accident attorney to help review your options. When victims treat a crash as a serious situation, it becomes more difficult for insurance companies to say otherwise.

When Drivers are Required to Call the Police

Leaving the scene of a crash without calling the police may be illegal, depending on the details of the crash. Under state law, those involved in collisions that result in bodily injury or death must provide notice to:

Local police if the crash happened within a municipality
State patrol if the crash happened on a highway
Office of the sheriff of the county

Contact TSR Injury Law Today to Schedule Your Free Legal Consultation

Give us a call today to learn more about how our experienced attorneys may be able to help you. We have assisted many car crash victims over the years, securing millions in compensation through settlements and courtroom verdicts.

There is no risk in contacting us for help because there are no upfront fees for our services. We do not get paid unless our clients get paid, which means there are no fees while we work on your case.

Check out our client testimonials page to see what our past clients had to say about their experience working with us.

TSR Injury Law. We are here to assist you. (612) TSR-TIME

Tag: police report