What to Do If Someone Lies About a Car Accident?

One of the most nerve-wracking things that can happen after a car accident is the spread of false information. It is not surprising when details are muddled due to high adrenaline or emotionally induced bad recollections, but it’s another matter entirely when the other party intentionally falsifies details in their favor. After all, if you for some reason do not have the documentation of police officers or minimal witnesses, it may boil down to your word against theirs. That is never a situation anyone wants to be subject to, especially if any injuries or severe property damages occur.

It can be scary and overwhelming to deal with a driver who lies about their part in a car accident. In fact, they may not be intentionally lying, but simply have a dramatically different perspective on the events of the crash. In such instances, you’ll need more than a police report and your word on your side. You may need to hire a lawyer. Luckily, the experienced lawyers at Ellis Law, a personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, have some tips that’ll help you reinforce your case.

The Possible Repercussions of a Driver Lying About a Car Accident

It happens so often: A driver may be incredibly apologetic, and even cooperative, immediately following an accident. They may offer you an explanation as to what they were doing just before the accident and provide you with as much information as you need, only to later twist the details of their story when communicating with their insurance company. Many people do this in order to weasel their way out of having to compensate for damages or avoid heightened insurance rates. 

If their dishonest or otherwise warped report of the accident details is accepted by their insurance company, this can result in serious legal ramifications for you, potentially in the form of a tarnished driving record or a suspended or revoked license. This can also inflict financial damage on you as you may end up being required to compensate for damages or injuries. 

How to Protect Yourself from Lies About an Accident

Document, document, document. Lies cannot combat hard evidence. 

Immediately following an accident, you need to contact the police immediately. They will be able to provide a neutral third-party report on the events of the accident and extent of damages. You have the right to obtain a copy of the police report and are encouraged to do so to keep with your records of the event. Speaking of your records, you need also to document the details of the accident. Do not rely solely on the officers as their report may not accurately represent your experience of the crash. 

You will be able to confidently protect yourself from any false claims when you have a written report from both yourself and police authorities on the accident, along with photo evidence. In some cases, you may want to obtain photographic evidence of the people involved, as some people will attempt to claim that they were not present at the scene at all. 

Your priority when dealing with a liar in the aftermath of an accident is to remain calm and gather as much indisputable evidence as you possibly can to best protect yourself in the matter.