Driving under the influence (DUI) sometimes results in a motor vehicle accident in California. After an accident, you may end up dealing with insurance agents, and many accidents involve an insurance settlement. So, how do you negotiate an insurance settlement after a DUI accident?
Negotiating a settlement may involve going back and forth with insurance agents. You may ask for a certain amount of compensation. They’ll likely offer you a smaller amount in return. Learn more about this process by checking out this article.
Complications for a DUI Accident Insurance Settlement
The driver responsible for an accident is generally required to provide compensation. This compensation often comes from that driver’s insurance company. The other driver may accuse you of causing the accident if you were drinking and driving at the time of the collision.
You may still get compensation from your insurance company after a DUI accident. Your insurance company may cover the damage to your motor vehicle. However, you will still have to pay the deductible for motor vehicle repairs.
You may negotiate with your own insurance company. However, insurance representatives are often firm in their compensation offers. This is especially true if you caused an accident. You can get help handling negotiations with your insurance company. Just contact a DUI lawyer by calling (310) 896-2724.
Your Insurance Company Handles Negotiations with Other Drivers
You may be responsible for another driver’s losses after a DUI in California. You should have insurance in this situation. All drivers in California are legally required to carry car insurance. The driver you struck may contact your insurance company to get compensation.
You are not required to negotiate with other drivers after a car accident. Your insurance company should handle these negotiations for you. However, you may dispute your level of fault for the accident. A lawyer can work to show that you were not totally to blame for the collision.
Assess Liability for a DUI Accident in California
Driving under the influence does not make you automatically at-fault for an accident in California. You must take direct action to cause an accident to be “at-fault.” This means that, in addition to driving under the influence, you would need to:
- Swerve across lanes of traffic
- Run a red light or a stop sign
- Exceed the speed limit
- Drive recklessly in some way
A lawyer can work to show that you did not cause an accident even if you drank alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Note that California has been a comparative negligence state since 1975, according to Stanford’s records. This means that multiple drivers may be responsible for a collision.
You may only be liable for a percentage of a collision. You have legal options if another driver was partially at-fault for a wreck. In this situation, a lawyer could help you negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company.
Methods to Negotiate with the Other Driver’s Insurance
You may negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company after a motor vehicle collision in California. This applies even if you were driving under the influence at the time of your accident. As long as the other driver was partially at-fault, you could receive compensation for some of your losses.
Negotiating with insurance agents may prove complicated. You may want legal help on your side from a DUI lawyer. In order to begin negotiations, you should come up with an offer you would accept for your losses. This amount could cover your:
- Medical expenses
- Vehicle repair costs
- Lost wages, pain, suffering, and mental anguish
Now, choose an amount above this number. You would first ask the insurance company for this higher amount. The insurance company may then return you an offer with a lower amount. This may occur several times before you come to an acceptable agreement.
Note that, in some cases, insurance agents do not offer fair settlements. In this situation, you may need to seek compensation in court. However, it can be difficult to get compensation if you caused the collision. Even driving under the influence makes it more challenging to secure damages for your losses. Consider working with a lawyer in this situation.
Speak to a Lawyer About Negotiating an Insurance Settlement
You may negotiate an insurance settlement after a DUI accident in California. However, insurance agents may resist negotiations. They may attempt to blame you for the accident. Get help in this situation from a DUI lawyer in Los Angeles. Reach out to us now for help. Just complete our online contact form to get started. You can also call us at (310) 896-2724.
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