What To Do After a Car Accident in Vegas That Is Your Fault

February 22, 2023

What Should I Do if I Cause a Car Accident in Vegas?

A car accident of any type can be a shocking and stressful event. Knowing ahead of time what actions you should take when involved in an accident on the roadway can help you respond in a positive and proactive way during a time of crisis. If you believe you might be at fault for a car accident, taking some steps to protect yourself and others can help support a better outcome for your case. Talking to experienced counsel for Las Vegas motor vehicle accident cases as soon as possible after such an incident may be a good idea. If you believe you’re at fault in the accident, a lawyer can help you understand what type of risk you might be facing and how you can best protect yourself if you face a lawsuit. Learn more about what you should do after an accident if you believe you’re at fault below.

Don’t Leave the Scene

It’s natural for your fight or flight reflexes to kick into high gear if you believe you’ve caused a serious accident. However, you should never leave the scene, as this can make you responsible for a hit-and-run accident. On top of civil consequences like a potential lawsuit, you might face criminal charges as a hit-and-run driver. Conviction of such charges could mean up to 20 years in prison and a fine of thousands of dollars.

Evaluate Yourself and Others for Injury and Call the Police

If it’s safe to do so, take a few moments to understand whether anyone involved in the accident is seriously injured. You’ll need to dial 911, and the dispatcher will ask questions about injuries and the severity of the accident, so they know what type of aid to send. If no one appears to be seriously injured, the response time may be longer as emergency responders might need to prioritize incidents that cause more risk to other individuals. Whenever possible, provide the 911 dispatcher with as many accurate details about injuries on the scene so the response can be correctly prioritized.

Don’t Admit to Being the Cause of the Accident

Even if you think you were at fault for the accident, don’t say as much to any other drivers, passengers, or witnesses at the accident scene. You shouldn’t even say the accident is your fault to a police officer. Instead, simply provide accurate and true details to the officer for the police report. For example, you might have failed to yield and believe that action caused the accident. If the officer asks if you failed to yield, you should tell the truth. Providing an untrue statement could land you in greater trouble. However, you should not say that you believe the fact that you didn’t yield led to the accident. Allow the officer or other parties to draw their own conclusions.

Don’t Apologize

It might seem like good manners to offer an apology if you believe you caused an accident. However, this can be seen as an admission of fault that might be used against you in any future legal case in the matter. Be courteous to others at the scene, but avoid issuing apologies.

Get Information From Other Drivers and Witnesses

If you are able to do so, exchange contact and insurance information with any other drivers involved in the accident. You should also record license plates and the make and model of the other cars. If there are witnesses to the incident who were not involved in the accident or were passengers in the vehicles involved, get their names and contact information. This is an especially important step if the police never arrive on the scene to gather all this information in an official accident report. In this case, you may want to contact the relevant police department after the fact to file a report.

Take Pictures if It’s Safe to Do So

When you can do so safely and without causing any other accident risks, take pictures of the accident scene with your cell phone. Capture details such as where the vehicles ended up, damage to the vehicles, skid marks from the vehicles, road signs that indicate who might have had the right of way, and conditions or obstructions on the road that might have contributed to the cause of the accident.

Reach Out to Your Insurance Company

As soon as possible after the accident, contact your insurance company and let them know you were involved in a collision on the roadway. Avoid admitting fault in the accident, though you should answer questions your insurance company has about the details of the accident accurately.

Reach Out to a Car Accident Lawyer

If you are involved in an accident in Nevada that you believe may be your fault, reach out to a car accident attorney to find out what your options may be. A lawyer can help you understand what your risks may be and what type of negligence you might be facing. For example, Nevada is a comparative negligence state. If you can demonstrate that you were less than 50 percent at fault for the accident, the other party may be unable to seek compensation from you or your insurance company successfully. A personal injury defense lawyer can also help investigate your case and make an argument to try to reduce the other party’s claim for damages. If you were involved in a car accident and believe it was your fault, contact the legal team at High Stakes Injury Law to find out how we can help.