Why You Should Always Call the Police After a Car Accident
When you are involved in an auto collision, regardless of whether or not it was a minor accident, you still need to notify a police officer that an accident has occurred.
If anyone is injured or there is damage to your vehicle, it is important to contact the police and have them come out to the accident scene to create an official police report.
When giving your statement to an officer, explain in detail how the accident occurred, but never admit fault for the crash.
When an injury or physical damage to the vehicle has occurred as a result of the collision, it is necessary to have an official record for insurance purposes and also to protect your legal rights when filing an accident injury claim.
If you've been injured in a car accident, it's important to contact a car accident chiropractor.
In this blog, we take a look at six steps to keep in mind immediately after being involved in an automobile accident.
Table of contents:
- Calling the police after an auto accident
- Visit Arrowhead Clinic for medical treatment after an auto accident
Car Accidents cause immediate stress and can be extremely scary.
Nobody is ever prepared for a motor vehicle collision to occur. In order to determine whether or not the police need to be called, you need to remain calm and assess the situation carefully.
Protecting yourself and your legal rights is important when you are involved in a car accident.
Calling the police is one of the best ways to ensure your safety and to be sure that the responsible party is held accountable for their negligence.
When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to keep the following 6 steps in mind.
1. Assess The Situation
When you are hit by another driver, it can be very traumatic. You need to stop your car and turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers to the collision.
Evaluate yourself first, check for any major injuries that may have occurred in the crash.
Try to stay calm and think about your safety.
If you or anyone in your vehicle is badly hurt, the first call you make should be to emergency services to seek medical attention.
2. Determine Extent of Damages
Once you have assessed your injuries and the injuries of the other driver, you can check your vehicle to determine the extent of damages.
In minor collisions, when there is no visible damage and nobody is injured, you still need to contact the police department to inform them of the accident for insurance purposes.
Having an official report from a law enforcement officer will make it much easier when it comes to filing a claim for compensation.
It is useful to hire a personal injury attorney to help you most accurately assess the damages and receive the highest compensation possible.
For more information, read our blog post, What Can You Expect from a Car Accident Settlement?
3. Know the Information Needed
When you are speaking with the other driver, it is important to remain calm and collect all of the necessary information that you may need for the insurance claim process.
When speaking with the other driver, never admit fault or apologize for the accident. They could try to use this information against you in an accident lawsuit.
Before leaving the crash scene, it's important to try and collect the following information from the at-fault driver:
- Name
- Address
- Insurance Information
- Phone Number
- License Number
- License Plate Number
- Make and Model of Vehicle
4. Take Photos of the Scene
It is very important to take photographs of property damage, this includes your vehicle and anything else that was damage as a result of the accident.
You should also take photos of any visible bodily injuries, the position of vehicles before they can be moved, the weather conditions, and any skid marks on the pavement.
Having these photographs will be very helpful to provide to the auto insurance company as well as your auto accident lawyer.
If the other driver files a personal injury lawsuit against you, claiming the accident was your fault, your photos, along with the accident report, will help to prove them wrong.
5. Call the Police
If anyone is injured or there is damage to your vehicle, it is important to contact the police and have them come out to the scene to make a police report.
When giving your accident report, explain in detail how the accident occurred, but do not admit fault without speaking with an experienced car accident lawyer.
When there is an injury or damage to the vehicle that occurred as a result of the collision, it is necessary to have the accident properly documented for auto insurance purposes and also to protect your legal rights in case of an insurance dispute.
6. Seek Medical Treatment
Accident injury victims, even minor car accident injuries, should be diagnosed and treated by an experienced Chiropractor as quickly as possible.
Some accident victims sustain whiplash, which can take up to 48 hours to present symptoms. When this happens, many people do not associate the symptoms with the accident.
If left untreated, symptoms of whiplash may last for months or even years.
If you want to file a personal injury compensation claim, it will greatly help your case to have your injuries treated quickly.
Not only is it beneficial for your health, but also, in case of a lawsuit against the negligent driver, you will need your injuries properly documented if you wish to receive maximum compensation for your medical expenses.
Visit Arrowhead Clinic for Medical Treatment After an Auto Accident
The Chiropractors at Arrowhead Clinics have been helping the injured recover from their injuries for over 40 years.
Our chiropractors have the training, skills, and knowledge to provide expert medical assistance to the injured.
Our Doctors use spinal adjustments to help the body return to optimal function without the use of invasive surgeries or prescription drugs.
If you were involved in a car accident, call the police and contact Arrowhead Clinic to treat your injuries.
Click below to schedule a free chiropractic consultation!
