What if it appears that an accident is all my fault?
First, don’t be so sure that the accident is all your fault. Many accidents result from things people think are their fault, but really aren’t. For example, suppose your car suddenly ran off the road on a curve when you were at or near the speed limit. You feel badly as you recognize, with the benefit of hindsight, that you should have slowed down further. Yet if you were driving a Chevrolet Corvair – the car Ralph Nader demonstrated was "Unsafe at Any Speed" – there was a design defect that was responsible for numerous accidents. A lawyer can often help you assess the facts and determine whether it was "all your fault" or someone else at least shares some of the responsibility.
Second, even if the accident was all your fault, it is possible that someone else is responsible for the extent and severity of the resulting injuries. For example, it may have been your fault that you got into an accident with your pickup truck, but because the gas tank was in an unsafe place and broke during impact, it may have turned a minor fender bender into a major catastrophe. Or perhaps your local emergency room sent you home without telling you the danger signs you should be aware of, or perhaps your HMO wouldn’t authorize the tests your doctor felt should have been performed, and your injuries worsened as a result. Again, an attorney can help you evaluate matters.
Third, if anyone else was injured, or any one else’s property was damaged in the accident, you may be fully or partly responsible for the injuries, at least to the extent that they will not be covered by your insurance company. A lawyer can help make sure your insurance company will stand by you, and may be able to help you protect your rights and assets. | 
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