California Accident Attorneys Blog
If you’ve been hit from behind, you’re probably asking who is at fault in a rear-end collision, and whether the answer is as straightforward as people assume. The common belief is that the rear driver is always responsible. In many cases, that’s true. But California law recognizes situations where the lead driver shares some or all of the blame, and those exceptions matter more than most people realize.
Fault determines who pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage. Get it wrong, or let an insurance adjuster frame the story, and you could end up covering costs that someone else should owe you. That’s especially true when injuries are serious and long-term treatment is on the line.
At Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC, we’ve spent over 25 years handling rear-end collision cases across Los Angeles and throughout California. We’ve seen how insurers try to manipulate fault determinations, and we know how to push back. This article breaks down how liability actually works in rear-end crashes, the key exceptions that can shift fault, and what steps you should take to protect your claim.