A car accident is a jarring event. In the immediate aftermath, your head will be spinning, and you will be checking to make sure yourself and everyone else involved is okay. It’s always most important to deal with physical well-being before thinking about anything else.
What Are Blind Spots?
When you have an opportunity, the first thing you should do after an accident is call the police and get the other parties contact information. This is important if there are injuries, of course, as paramedics can be brought in to render aid or take victims to the hospital. Aside from injury concerns, bringing in the police will help get the situation under control and sort out what should happen next.
The Value of a Police Report
You always want to make sure there is a police report created when you are at the scene of the accident. Even if the accident is relatively minor and no one is hurt, it’s still best to have an official report to cover the event. The insurance companies will likely create insurance claims in the days that follow, and that police report will be a big help in sorting all of this out properly.
Do you have to call the police in an accident? Not necessarily, but it is strongly recommended for a variety of reasons. Specifically, the report will help nail down some of the details of the incident which could be disputed later.
- When the accident took place and who was involved
- Where the cars were located after the crash and what kind of property damage took place
- License plate numbers and other important information
- Official statements from the drivers involved and any witnesses
- Injury reports
- Other details that could impact insurance claim decisions or potential lawsuits
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It’s easy to understand why you would want these details officially documented before you leave the scene of the crime. What if the other driver goes home and decides to make up another story as to how the accident occurred? What if there were witnesses to the crash who could corroborate your story, but they can’t be found after everyone has left the scene? Don’t take chances on things like that undermining your case. Bring in the police and have a record created that you can lean on later.
This information is all incredibly important to the claims process, and your insurance agent will want to ask for all this information anyways. Immediately asking for the other driver’s phone number and driver’s license information isn’t a bad start if everyone is safe and uninjured, however having the police present will help prevent any arguments. Regardless if the auto accident was simply a fender bender or a hit-and-run, it is important to call the police.
There is one other important piece of this puzzle to remember – the police report will be created by a police officer, and that individual will be available later on for comment. Even if some detail doesn’t make it into the official report, the officer may remember it when asked later for input on the case.
What If No Report Was Filed?
You now understand the importance of calling the police after an accident, but what if it’s too late? If you have already been in an accident and no accident report was created, you still may have options. It can be harder to make your case in this situation, but don’t give up just yet.
So, in the case of an accident with no police report where the driver denies responsibility, you’ll want to work with legal representation to make your case as strong as possible. With an attorney on your side, you can work through all of the events of the accident to pull out any important details that need to be present. You won’t have the police report to lean on for authority, so it will be even more important for your account to be as accurate, detailed, and consistent as possible.
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Disclaimer: This post provides general information but is not legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice.
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