Often, people assume there is no need to file a police report, especially if the accident was minor. Filing a police report will strengthen your case if you want to be compensated.
Filing the police report is the first step to ensure that all your details are documented and all parties involved are protected. Remember that not all accident will show their symptoms instantly. It is you to believe you have sustained minor injuries only to suffer later, especially with head injuries.
It is always crucial to contact any time you are involved in a road accident. Besides, it is also a requirement by some states. Once you have reached the police, you will be through with the part of protecting yourself and your interests and following the law which will favor you in case there is litigation filed following the accident.
You have to file a police report despite of how minor accidents seems, especially if you want to seek any compensation from the accident. Ensure that your accident report is filed to document everything that happened. Failure to report the accident as required, you may have your license suspended.
The police report is unbiased. It is the viewpoint of law enforcement personnel who is not invested in who is right or wrong when the accident occurred. Alternatively, the office will provide more information about the crash, including:
- That precise location of the accident
- The date and time of a crash
- Injuries sustained by the individuals
- Vehicle damages
- Statements from the involved parties
- Witness statements
The responding officer in the scene will give you some documentation. It will take the form of a one-page report or a business card. Either way, you will see the crash number, the police officer’s name and the police agency name. That information is always essential to acquire the full report as soon as it is done.
The police report will serve as evidence to support your claim and can vastly improve your chances to obtain the compensation you deserve successfully. Sometimes after the accident, you can remember some details later after you have rested. If you have recognized such information, contact the police officer and see if you add those details to the accident report.
There are situations in which police is not available because of some reasons, such as your location. You should always contact the police and let them decide whether to come or not. If you are in the scene where the police do not reach at the scene, then ensure your document the accident yourself.
The fact that you have filed a police report doesn’t mean you were automatically making insurance. The report only serves as a record of the incident. Mostly, after the accident, the parties may choose to handle their financial issues between themselves rather than contacting their insurance company.
If you are pursuing a car accident case against another driver, there is a necessity to contact Portland auto accident lawyer the sooner as the occurrence of the accident. During a free consultation, the lawyer will help you make sense of the police report. The attorney will direct you when taking the steps required to make a successful car accident claim to get all the damages you deserve to cover.