The culprit in a car accident isn't always the person you may think. In fact, it doesn't always have to be a person at all. Many things can cause a car accident. Sometimes there are multiple reasons for an accident. You need to understand this if you plan to pursue a claim. It can make a lot of difference to your case.

Different Sources of Negligence Lead to Different Avenues of Compensation

Negligence can occur on several different levels. It's not just from the actions of another person in an accident. It can also come from faulty traffic design, a faulty car part, or a third-party action.

For example, imagine if you just had new brakes installed and reached an intersection. You have the right-of-way and proceed to go straight. Another vehicle runs their stop sign from another direction. You see it coming and attempt to brake, but find the brakes are not working. You end up in a car accident.

So who is to blame for that accident? There's such a thing as partial blame, but you're in the clear in this scenario. The blame very obviously falls on the person that did not obey the traffic sign.

However, braking ahead of the oncoming car could've prevented the accident. So this places some of the blame on the brake installer. If there was a fault with the integrity of the brakes, some of the blame falls on the brake manufacturer. In this scenario, you have multiple avenues for seeking compensation.

Using a Professional to Help You Navigate the Different Avenues

The way an insurance company will deal with the auto accident may not take into account your mechanical fault. It's usually up to you to pursue a claim against a business or manufacturer. The whole process can become quite complicated. That's why it's important that you speak to a car accident lawyer before doing anything.

In the above example, you already know the brakes did not perform as they should have. Often, you may not even realize if something like a mechanical fault or an outside influence contributed to an accident.

When you hire a personal injury attorney, he or she will investigate your accident. They may find multiple factors that contributed to the accident. They will then advise you on the best course of action for your claim.

A car accident isn't always as simple as it seems. Every now and then, there are contributing factors that can give you additional avenues for making a claim.

Your lawyer will pursue those avenues in your favor. Otherwise, he or she will warn you if those avenues are dead ends. This is all just another of the many reasons you should speak to a personal injury attorney about your accident.