It is usually quite easy to identify the responsible driver when making a car accident claim. However, in certain situations it can be quite difficult to prove which driver was responsible, and these cases are often settled by the respective insurers on a split liability basis to save time and money in investigations.
This is not good news for either driver because both will lose their no claims bonus and have to pay their full excess.
Accidents on roundabouts can cause particular problems. The rules covering vehicles entering a roundabout are quite clear: the car entering the roundabout must give way to a vehicle already on the roundabout. Problems arise when both cars are already on the roundabout. Typically what happens is that a vehicle moving to the left to take an exit is in collision with a vehicle which has only just entered the roundabout.
So it is very important to establish the relative position of the vehicles immediately before the incident. Witness evidence can be very helpful, especially if it points to one vehicle been driven aggressively.
The most important evidence is the damage incurred by the two vehicles involved. From this it should be possible to determine which vehicle caused the incident, and it is essential that vehicle inspection reports are obtained by the claimant’s representative. Surprisingly, few insurance claim handlers have the necessary skills to analyse vehicle damage properly.
At Vamco we have many years experience of analysing engineering evidence, and have successfully established full third party liability and 100 percent settlement on behalf of our clients even when liability is disputed. We are always happy to discuss your road accident claim – our services are free of charge because we recover our costs from the third party insurer.