Accepted Fault
"I have some good news for you. We have reviewed everything, and we are accepting full responsibility for the accident."
Explore the real law behind this episodeTranscript
TSLOne of the biggest mistakes people make is relaxing when the insurance company accepts fault.
Tom BriggsI have some good news for you. We have reviewed everything, and we are accepting full responsibility for the accident.
Tom BriggsAnd with all of that settled, we are prepared to offer you eight hundred dollars to close it out today.
TSLAccepting fault and paying for the damage are two completely different conversations. He admitted who caused it. He never once said what it is worth.
TSLSo what do you think their first offer was? Drop a number in the comments. Closest guess wins nothing, which is right about what they offered her.
Accepted Fault: Liability Is Not the Claim Value
An insurer can accept its driver’s responsibility for a collision while disputing the injuries or the amount requested. The episode highlights that gap between an encouraging statement and a complete claim evaluation.
Clarify what was accepted
Keep the acceptance in writing and identify what it addresses. Does it accept responsibility for causing the collision, a particular percentage of fault, or the amount of a particular loss? A statement about one issue may leave others unresolved.
For example, vehicle-repair costs may be agreed while the insurer asks for more information about treatment or time off work. The next useful step is to identify the disputed items and the documents relevant to them, rather than assume that the word “accepted” resolves the whole file.
Connect each loss to supporting information
Medical records can describe the condition and treatment. Bills identify charges. Employer records can help document missed work or changed duties. Evidence of future needs requires more than guessing what might happen. The episode’s small offer supplies no basis for deciding a real claim’s value.
The definition of fault in A.R.S. 12-2506 connects conduct with injury or damages. That causal connection helps explain why accepting a driving error and agreeing to every requested loss are different questions. Coverage and policy limits are additional parts of the evaluation.
Keep the offer separate from the explanation
Request an itemized explanation when the number does not match the losses submitted. Compare the response with the records and any proposed release. An offer should be evaluated with both its amount and the claims it would settle in view.
Questions this episode raises
- Does accepting fault mean the insurer must accept my valuation?
- No. Injury causation, the amount of supported damages, and coverage can remain disputed even when responsibility for the collision is accepted.
- What should I keep from the conversation?
- Save the written acceptance, the offer, the supporting records you submitted, and the insurer’s explanation of any disputed items.
Sources and further reading
- A.R.S. 12-2506: allocation of fault and several liability
- Emmons v. Superior Court: settlement agreements and release terms
Episode explanation by Impact Legal. Updated .