“Whoever defends himself has a fool for a client and an idiot for a lawyer.” This phrase, of undefined author, reflects the lack of judgment involved in judging and defending our own actions. Each of us acts with prejudices that, by their nature, are impossible for us to separate when analyzing our actions with the appropriate perspective.
When having to determine responsibility in a crash in which we were involved, it is best not to be carried away by intuition or fall into the temptation of always blaming the other, or worse yet, assuming responsibility that may not be ours.
Therefore, when we decide to take on or dismiss a case, as lawyers we have the task of being empathetic with emotions, but cold with facts.
Of course, in some cases, responsibility is obvious. If they hit us while stopped, there is not much to discuss; Likewise, if we rear-end another vehicle for not having braked in time, there is generally no doubt.
However, in many other cases, the interpretation is not so clear. An obvious right-of-way priority can easily be changed by a “yield” sign, the shape of the intersection, or even the material with which the street is paved.
In another example, multiple crashes, known as “ pileup crashes,” do not always have a uniform version from all parties involved. Sometimes, victims only identify the person responsible as the one who caused the crash, when in reality the person who caused it is another person.
Therefore, to know with certainty whether we are responsible or not, the most prudent thing is to always seek advice from a professional.
Author
Juan Podesta
Lawyer
T° 131 F° 960 CPACF
1154030137
1177001957 int 2002
tenerunchoque.com.ar
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