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Is A Rear-End Collision Always Your Fault?

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If you ask someone about a rear-end collision on the roadway, they will likely tell you that the driver who did the rear-ending during the collision is always at fault. As true as this may be in some cases, it is actually a presumption that is only partially true. There are certain circumstances when you may rear-end another driver and the fault will not be totally on you, which means if you are injured, you may be able to file a personal injury claim with a car accident attorney. Here is a closer look at some of the situations when rear-ending another driver during a collision may not be totally deemed as your fault. 

The driver in front of you stopped to turn but didn't. 

If a driver comes to a stop like they are going to turn, fails to signal, and then proceeds, causing you to hit the rear of their vehicle, this is something that a judge may see as not your fault. Even though you should keep a safe stopping distance from a vehicle, there is not much you can do if a driver is acting indecisively and causes you to run into them. 

The driver in front of you suddenly started going in reverse. 

Say you are following safely behind another driver on the highway. Suddenly, without warning, that car in front of you starts going in reverse, straight toward the front of your vehicle. In these situations, the driver in front is definitely going to be at fault for the collision since driving in reverse on the highway is illegal. These kinds of incidents are extremely rare, and most of the time, when they do happen, it is due to some kind of mechanical problem with the vehicle. However, this will take the fault off of you and allow you to pursue a claim if the other driver's insurance company does not treat you fairly. 

The driver in front of you had no tail lights and was driving after dark. 

If drivers are caught driving with no tail lights, they are pulled over and usually given a ticket for improper equipment. If you hit a driver in the rear end because they did not have any tail lights, this can be deemed as their fault. This is especially true if you ran into someone after dark because you could not see that they were stopped in the road. 

For more information, consult with a lawyer for car accident lawsuit representation.


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