Why You Should Avoid Apologizing After A Florida Motor Vehicle Accident
After being in a motor vehicle accident, the chances are, you might feel tempted to apologize to the other accident victim(s). Unfortunately, even a simple “I am sorry” can adversely affect your Florida auto accident case. As much as you may think apologizing is a nice way of expressing your regret for the situation, a simple apology can be misinterpreted and used against you down the road. Even when you feel you are at fault, it would be best to avoid apologizing at an accident scene.
The complications of apologizing after a motor vehicle accident can be disastrous, especially when an accident victim is seeking compensation for injuries and other damages incurred. As much as apologizing is courteous in most situations, apologizing after a motor vehicle accident can lead to huge problems. Indeed, saying you are sorry after an auto accident is not going to make a judge automatically believe that you are at fault, and there is no explicit legislation that states that an individual who apologizes at a crash scene is culpable. Nevertheless, even though saying “I am sorry” will not automatically be considered as evidence by a judge, an apology can still make your auto accident case more difficult than it has to be.
Reasons Why You Should Avoid Apologizing After a Florida Motor Vehicle Accident
Saying “I am sorry” after a Florida motor vehicle accident can adversely affect your car accident case, especially if you decide to settle your case out of court. Often, insurance companies associate apologies with guilt or fault admission. When you say “I am sorry” at the scene of an accident, that apology will most likely be recorded. If an insurance company sees that you apologized, they might use your apology against you as proof of your guilt. While being declared at fault is generally not enough to deny a plaintiff compensation, it could be enough to reduce it. Under Florida’s comparative negligence law, even if a plaintiff is partly at fault for their accident, they can still obtain compensation, even though their payment will be determined based on their percentage of fault.
Before you apologize after an auto accident, remember that you don’t have all the facts. Even if you believe you are to blame for an accident, you shouldn’t be in a rush to apologize and make it look like you accept responsibility when you still don’t have all the facts. After an auto accident, you must allow police officers, investigators, and your attorney to determine the events leading to the accident and fault. Don’t jump to conclusions immediately after an auto accident.
Contact a Fort Myers Personal Injury Attorney
If you were in an auto accident, you need a skilled and dedicated attorney on your side, especially if you apologized at the accident scene. Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm can help you obtain the compensation you deserve even if you uttered the words “I am sorry” at the accident scene. We have the skills and means to help you prove you are not to blame for your accident or that even if you are to blame, the other party is also to blame, meaning you have the right to compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free no-obligation consultation.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ocala, Tampa, Bradenton, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Daytona Beach areas.
