Should I Call the Police After an Accident?

October 16, 2014 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Should I Call the Police After an Accident? Anyone that has ever been in a car accident understands the amount of stress involved. As hard as it may be, it is important to remain calm after an accident. Once an accident occurs, most people instinctively begin to dial 911. However, there is some debate as to whether or not injured motorists should call police following a car crash. Getting police involved in a car accident may seem trivial to some, especially if the accident is a minor one. However, regardless of whether or not there were injuries, police should always be contacted. When police arrive to the scene of an accident, they typically conduct a detailed field investigation. Based on their findings, police will generate a crash report, which objectively documents any injuries and who may be liable for the crash. These reports play a very important role in establishing the groundwork for an injured party's personal injury claim. According to statistical data that is released by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there have been 254,454 crashes in 2014. Of those crashes, 167,607 people were injured with 1,806 fatalities. These numbers are alarming, especially since we have almost three months left in the year. Based on these statistics, it is clear that car accidents occur quite often, leaving many people left injured. Thus, it is imperative that parties report their accidents to police in order for them to conduct a formal investigation of the car crash.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN POLICE ARRIVE

Once an accident has occurred, you should first check yourself (as well as anyone else in the car) for injures. You should make sure your car is turned off and out of harm's way. After you make sure that you and the passengers are safe, police should be contacted immediately. The quicker police arrive to the accident, the more information they can include in their reports. Police are trained to investigate these scenes and gather the information needed to establish who was at fault in the car accident. They will assess the damage of the cars involved, interview any eye witnesses, and assess the location of tire marks. Once the police have concluded their investigation, they will reduce their findings into a detailed crash report. This crash report is a great starting point in evaluating any potential personal injury claim that an injured motorist may have. Calling police immediately also serves other important purposes in establishing your personal injury claim. After an accident, insurance companies will begin to conduct their own investigation. When an injured party has documented that they were the first to call for emergency help, it can only benefit their insurance claim. Further, if the injured party needs additional treatments and care, these reports will provide proof that the crash was the initial cause of their injuries.

CONTACT TAMPA BAY AREA AUTO ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Getting in a car accident is not something that one generally plans for. However, it is essential that you properly prepare yourself in the event you are involved in an auto accident. After making sure you and your passengers are safe, you should contact the local police as quickly as possible to ensure there is a proper investigation of your accident. If you have been injured in  vehicle crash, contact the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA for a free consultation of your personal injury claim. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA has a team of highly trained and experienced attorneys who advocate for the rights of injured motorists on a daily basis. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 N. Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 (727) 451-6900 Practice Area: Clearwater Auto Accident Attorney

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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