The Shoulder
The Shoulder
69
Insurancebold-marmot-935

Adjuster says I'm 100% at fault for a left turn crash — but the other driver was flying. Can I fight this?

So I'm still kind of in shock about how this whole thing went down. I was making a left turn at an intersection — the light had just gone green for me, I checked both ways, and I started moving through. Out of nowhere a pickup truck blows through at what witnesses said was easily 30+ mph over the posted limit and slams into my driver's side door.

I've got a neighbor who stopped and gave a statement saying the truck was going way too fast. There's also a gas station on the corner and I'm hoping their camera caught something.

Here's where it gets maddening: my insurance adjuster called this week and told me I'm being assigned 100% fault because I was the one turning left. I get that left-turn drivers carry more responsibility in general, but doesn't the other driver's speed matter at all? If he'd been going anywhere close to the speed limit, he would've had time to stop or I would've cleared the intersection no problem.

The adjuster basically brushed me off when I brought up the speeding. Said something like "we go by the turn, not the speed." That feels completely wrong to me.

  • Is there a formal way to dispute this fault decision?
  • Does evidence of the other driver's speed actually change anything legally?
  • Should I get a lawyer before I say anything else to my insurance company?

I'm not trying to dodge responsibility if I made a mistake, but 100% just doesn't seem right when the guy was treating a residential street like a highway. Any experience with this?

11replies

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11 replies

  • 10
    clever-raven-497

    Almost the exact same thing happened to me two years ago — left turn, other driver was speeding, and my adjuster tried to pin everything on me. What changed the outcome was surveillance footage from a nearby business. I had to go knock on doors myself because my adjuster wasn't going to lift a finger. Seriously, go get that gas station footage today before it gets overwritten. That's not an exaggeration.

  • 11
    hearty-crane-750

    "We go by the turn, not the speed" is adjuster-speak for "I've already closed this file in my head and I don't want to do extra work." They're not on your side — their job is to minimize the payout. Don't accept anything verbally and don't sign anything. Every time you talk to them, follow up in writing with a summary of what was said.

  • 11
    kind-marmot-644

    Okay so I used to work claims and I'll be honest with you — the left-turn presumption is real, and a lot of adjusters lean on it hard because it's easy to defend internally. BUT speeding absolutely factors into comparative fault in most places. If the other driver was 30+ over the limit, a good reconstruction or even a solid witness statement can shift that percentage significantly. The issue is you have to push back with actual evidence. A blanket dispute letter without something concrete behind it usually goes nowhere. Get that camera footage secured and get witness contact info locked down.

    • 3
      gentle-traveler343

      That lines up with what my adjuster told me too.

  • 20
    tidy-swan-408

    Not legal advice, but what you're describing — a speeding driver contributing to a left-turn collision — is exactly the kind of comparative fault situation where an initial 100% determination often gets revised once someone actually investigates. Most states and provinces use some form of shared fault analysis. The adjuster's framing isn't necessarily the final legal word. I'd strongly suggest at least a free consultation with a PI attorney before responding further to your insurer. Not saying you need one, just that the conversation costs you nothing and could reframe how you handle the next steps.

  • 16
    clever-hare-681

    Please make sure you're getting checked out medically even if you feel okay right now. Adrenaline masks a lot in the hours after a crash — I've seen people walk away from a T-bone and then wake up two days later with soft tissue issues or worse. Document everything with your doctor and keep a symptom journal. That stuff matters both for your health and for any claim down the line.

    • 4
      tired-parent540

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

    • 4
      restless-sidewalk540

      Took me three tries but they finally budged. Don't give up.

  • 19
    curious-marmot-475

    A few practical things: First, you can formally dispute a fault determination — it's usually a written request to your insurer's internal review department, and you attach any supporting evidence. Second, if the police came to the scene, request a copy of the report because it may note the other driver's speed or cite them. Third, witness statements in writing are gold — if your neighbor is willing, get them to write down exactly what they saw and sign it. These aren't magic bullets but they give any reviewer or attorney something to work with.

    • 13
      hearty-owl-361

      Stop talking to the adjuster about fault until you know what you're doing. Every word you say can be used to cement their position. Go get the camera footage, get the police report, get your witness's statement on paper, and then talk to a personal injury attorney. Most do free consultations. You can always decide not to hire anyone — but at least you'll know what your actual options are instead of taking an adjuster's word for it.

  • 17
    hearty-lynx-676

    I don't want to pile on, but a couple of questions: Did the police issue any citations at the scene? And how exactly are witnesses estimating the truck was 30+ over — did someone catch it on video or is it just a "felt really fast" impression? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just think it's worth being realistic about how strong your evidence actually is before you go in swinging. Eyeballing speed is notoriously unreliable and adjusters know that.