Being in a car accident is a stressful and traumatic experience. After you have checked yourself for injuries and made sure everyone is safe, the typical next steps are to contact the police and exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver.
Sometimes the other driver may be hesitant to cooperate, which can be frustrating, but what happens if they outright lie to the police about what happened? Is there anything that you can do?
Why people lie about car accidents
There are many reasons that people lie after a car accident. The most obvious reason is they do not want to be found liable for an accident. Liability would mean they must pay damages, which could include your medical bills and lost wages.
Being found to be at fault in a car accident also usually means an increase in car insurance costs, a ticket, fine or even an arrest. If a driver has prior traffic violations, they may worry about losing their driver’s license.
The good news is that some evidence of a car accident speaks for itself. Pictures and camera footage of the accident and witness statements can be used to contradict the other driver’s statements.
Your injuries can also potentially be used as evidence to prove that the other driver is lying. Perhaps you have an injury that could only have occurred in the specific manner it did if you were hit head on or rear ended. Expert testimony from a doctor or medical professional could be used to prove you were not at fault due to the nature of your injuries.
However, the statements of both drivers are another crucial piece of evidence when determining liability in a car accident. Both you and the other driver will tell the police officer, and potentially testify to a judge, about your version of events.
Watch for inconsistent statements
There are many ways to attack the credibility of the other driver’s false statements. People who are lying typically make inconsistent statements.
If you can point out even one or two discrepancies in the other driver’s statements, their entire version of the accident is called into question. You do not necessarily need to prove they are lying about everything. Catching them in one or two lies is sometimes enough.
Additionally, any statements are going to be compared with available evidence. If you cannot find any inconsistencies in the other driver’s statements, see if their statements contradict the available evidence.
Lying about a car accident is a serious matter. Consequences can include being dropped by an insurance company or being forced to pay punitive damages to the other driver. Punitive damages are designed to punish someone for wrongdoing.
Watch your own statements after a car accident
You might find yourself tempted to lie about a car accident for the same reasons as other drivers. This is a bad idea. Always be honest with anyone you speak to about the accident or you could face the same consequences.
Be careful about who you speak to after an accident. You may need support from family and friends and want to tell them about the accident, but make sure you only talk about it with trusted individuals. Your statements can be misinterpreted and used against you.
It is best to not post anything about the accident on social media. Social media posts are used as evidence in accident cases and could also undermine a personal injury claim.