Immediately after a car accident, you may be left feeling stunned and confused. Your physical injuries may not be readily apparent and the property damage to your vehicle may seem minor. Even though it may be tempting to leave the accident scene withoutcontacting law enforcement, this is rarely a good idea. There are several reasons to call the police after a crash regardless of the circumstances surrounding the accident.
4 Reasons to Report a Car Accident to Law Enforcement
If you are involved in a car crash, there are many good reasons to call the police, including the following:
- The other driver may be uncooperative. It is critical after an accident to obtain the other driver’s contact information and insurance information. If the other driver will not cooperate in doing so, you may need law enforcement to help you obtain this information.
- The other driver may dispute the cause of the accident. If the other driver is denying liability, even if such denial is in good faith, the investigation of a law enforcement officer at the scene of the accident will be critical to your claim. The officer will take interviews with the drivers and witnesses, record details about the accident scene, and take physical evidence if available.
- Injuries do not always show up until later. Immediately after the accident, you may think that you escaped unharmed. Many types of injuries, however, do not reveal themselves until hours or days after an accident. Reporting the accident to law enforcement when it happens helps to support your claim later. Otherwise, it could be your word against the other driver’s that an accident actually occurred.
- You may be required to report the accident under the law depending on the state where the accident occurred. This is true even if the accident only involves property damage and not injuries.
In some cases, such as where the weather is poor, another emergency has occurred, or in rural locations, you may be told that a law enforcement officer cannot respond to the accident scene. If that happens, seek out a nearby convenience store or gas station. Often, these businesses will have accident report forms that you can fill out and then deliver to law enforcement.
After the accident, you may find yourself hounded by insurance companies, attorneys, and other parties who want you to settle for less than what your claim is worth. We can help you deal with insurance companies after a crash as well as protect your legal rights to compensation. We encourage you to contact us today for a consultation at (404) 355-4000.
