The short answer: No. A car accident and collision aren’t the same.
Collision implies there’s no one to blame whereas accident can imply that someone is at fault.
This is a bit subjective though and it really depends on who you talk to.
It may just seem like a grammatical issue or maybe even a personal vocabulary preference, but the way you use the words carries a lot of weight in your insurance case.
As WNCN points out, even the phrase “crash” can carry unwanted connotations that don’t accurately describe the situation in the view of the law.
Is the pronunciation important?
Understanding what each word means is crucial whether you’ve been involved in some sort of vehicular incident or just to know for future reference in the off chance something happens.
In casual conversation, we call them “accidents” too, because that’s how people talk.
But when we’re talking to a jury or an insurance adjuster, we prefer to call them “car crashes” or “wrecks,” or “collisions”, because it turns out that, usually, they were somebody’s fault.
When we are talking with friends, this language does not matter much.
But when we are in front of a jury, the choice of words can matter a lot.
If you have been in a collision, you might start noticing that you get different reactions from people if you call it a “crash” than if you call it an “accident”.
And this can make a difference to your eventual settlement.
So now, even police officers must recognize that they are investigating car “crashes,” not mere “accidents.”
But, old ways are hard to break, and it will take constant reminders to adjusters and even judges to refrain from referring to the police report as an “accident” report.
What do we do?
At Bajric & Ramic Law Office, we know exactly what we do.
Our job is to hear your story, gather the details, and see if we can make a case for you. Automotive accidents (or collisions) are stressful and often painful times.
We want to make the entire process easier on you, regardless of whatever semantics are being debated.
If you have any other questions related to car accidents, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 314-352-6800
and we’d be glad to answer any other questions that you may have.
Thank you very much and you have a wonderful and safe day.
Difference between a car accident and collision
Bajric & Ramic Law Office
Nedim Ramic – Auto Accident Lawyer – Personal Injury Attorney
