Imagine you are driving your car on the highway, and suddenly the car ahead of yours “sudden stops” or the driver applies sudden brake leading rear-end collision; who will be at fault?
Determining who was at blame in a rear-end collision is essential when you claim compensation by filing the case through a personal injury attorney. However, it is quite difficult to present who is at fault. Is the car’s driver in the back always at blame in rear-end collisions? Who will be liable for covering your medical costs and lost wages if you suffer serious injuries in a rear-end collision after being struck by someone else?
Dealing with a car accident’s aftermath is never enjoyable, especially if you rear-end someone. Even if you don’t think you’re the one to blame, your initial thoughts will undoubtedly be on how much money this will cost you.
Even while the driver in the back is frequently held accountable in a rear-end collision, this does not mean that you should always take the blame. If you can demonstrate that the motorist in front of you was careless or irresponsible, you may be able to argue that they were the ones who were genuinely at fault. In such cases, you must take the best step by hiring a personal injury attorney at Phillips Law Office in Illinois. The attorney will help you with the insight and get all the assistance with the claim compensation.
Lets understand everything in detail on who is at fault if you rear ended someone who stopped suddenly:
Sudden Stop Accidents Reasons
Let us check different scenarios of how the front motorist may be to blame for a rear-end collision:
When the Other Driver Cuts you off by overtaking
The front motorist is typically held accountable for rear-end crashes caused by this most frequent factor. The driver of that car is to blame for a collision if it suddenly overtakes you while going considerably slower than you are, brakes unexpectedly, or passes too near in front of your vehicle. When the other vehicle doesn’t utilize its turn signal, its actions are very risky. While you keep a safe distance between two cars, a lane-changing driver oversees driving forward and utilizing the appropriate signaling.
Their Brake Lights aren’t working
It’s hard to judge if the car’s brake lights ahead of you aren’t working. Since brake lights wouldn’t exist if they weren’t necessary, it’s not always simple to identify when a car in front of you has stopped in the dark without seeing those lights turned on.
They Apply Sudden Brakes in the Mid-Road
There are many cases where while on the highway, drivers suddenly apply breaks, causing rear-end collision by the driver behind. On a crowded highway, there is a high chance of hitting a stopped car, even if it has its danger lights on. Perhaps you’re approaching a bend and don’t see them until it’s too late, or perhaps the motorist in front of you suddenly swerves past a stopped car when you can’t see the dangers, giving you any time to brake or move. You might not be at fault, even if the car has stopped on the shoulder. Many roadway shoulders are too narrow for an automobile, causing the stalled vehicle to stick.
Reckless Driving
Drunk driving, texting, and chatting on the phone while driving have all become pervasive diseases. There are many car accident cases due to reckless driving. People find driving difficult safely because of these and other distracted driving factors, frequently resulting in unpredictable movements and lane drifting. The other driver is at fault if a car slides into the lane in front of you, and you hit it in the rear.
Driver Following You Doesn’t Stop on Time
Everyone is accountable for their actions when driving on the road. If the driver in front of you abruptly stops and you are keeping a safe following distance, you won’t strike them. If the motorist behind you was not keeping a safe following distance, they might collide with your vehicle and push you into the automobile in front of them.
Recklessly Reversing the Car
Imagine you are in your car at the side of the road, and suddenly the car in front of you comes in reverse and hits your car. In this case, the driver of the car reversing back will pay the compensation. The car in front of you will probably back up to get back to the safety of the lane if they pull into the intersection while you are stopped at a left turn light without an arrow but later determine it’s not safe to turn. They are at blame if they retreated too far and collided with you.
You’re generally not at fault if you’re driving in a parking lot when a car in front of you pulls out of a spot without leaving adequate room between you.
What to do when I Rear Ended Someone Who Stopped Suddenly?
Being involved in a rear-end collision can be a stressful experience. Remember, it is crucial to prioritize safety, gather accurate information, and promptly report the incident to the necessary authorities and your insurance company. Seeking legal advice and documenting all relevant details will further strengthen your position.
How can an Attorney Determine the Liability in the Rear-End Collision?
Most car accidents that occur each year involve a rear-end collision and most of them happen because of sudden stops. Therefore, it’s critical to understand the overall process and how you can avoid such an accident. When a driver in a moving vehicle rear-ends a car that is legally stopped for a stop sign or red light or into a vehicle legally parked in Illinois, the car is nearly always deemed to be at fault.
One of the basic aspects of a car driving test is know-how and when to stop the car. People must be conscious of when to stop while driving. Drivers are almost always regarded as negligent when they cause collisions because they can’t stop safely. It is often seen that someone else is to blame when a rear-end collision occurs.
The driver who rear-ended you is presumed to be at fault under Illinois law, but the other driver can provide proof that another element or person caused the accident. It’s possible that the individual who rear-ended you at a stop sign was struck by another vehicle, and the force of that collision led that individual to hit you.
Is Illinois a No-Fault State?
Illinois is not a no-fault state if you are considering vehicle insurance coverage in a rear-end collision. It is a tort state instead. When two vehicles collide in the rear, the driver normally hits the other car from behind and is found to be at fault. This person’s insurance company must cover the expense of any injuries or damage sustained because of the accident.
This is doubly true when the negligent driver is a truck driver working for a commercial trucking company. The trucking company’s lawyer will either make a prompt effort to settle the lawsuit or employ legal tactics to ensure their client pays the least amount of damages possible.
What can Phillips Law Office Personal Injury Lawyer do?
An auto accident lawyer in Illinois at Phillips Law Office will investigate the specifics of your rear-end collision, including any pictures of the site and the damage, the written police report, and witness statements to determine what happened and who was at fault. According to Illinois law, you are entitled to financial compensation, including medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages, if you were hurt because the other driver was careless. Your attorney will bargain or defend you in court for the money you are legally entitled to.
Contact a Rear-End Accident Lawyer in Chicago
In general, most personal injury attorneys accept contingency fees. Suppose you’ve been hurt in a rear-end collision. In that case, your initial legal consultation at Phillips Law Office is provided without charge or commitment, and you don’t pay an attorney’s fee until you receive compensation.
Our attorneys use their years of combined legal knowledge to provide customers with thorough services. After a crash because of a sudden stop, we allow you to concentrate on getting physically better with the assurance that you have professional assistance behind you. Do contact us for more information and get a free consultation on your case.
Chicago Rear-End Collision Lawyer
Also Reads:
Should You Call An Attorney When You’ve Been Rear-Ended?
What Determines Who Is To Blame For A Car Accident?
What Are The Common Reasons For Car Accidents In Chicago?
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