Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer About How Police Reports Can Help Your Case
Whether you are involved in a major car accident or one less serious, it is important you file a police report. In doing so, you make it easier to not only file an insurance claim, but also seek compensation for damages should you file a personal injury lawsuit. Even if your state does not require police to be notified when a car accident takes place, it is best to do so, since this will ensure your accident is properly documented and investigated by police. If you have been involved in a car accident and decide to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit, put your trust in an car accident lawyer at Grey Law.
What if Police Don’t Come to the Scene?
If your accident does not involve injuries or has little if any property damage, police may choose not to come to the scene. If this happens, do not panic, since this is a common occurrence in many situations. Should this happen to you, simply make sure you accurately and thoroughly document the accident yourself. To do so, take photos of any vehicle damage that occurred, get contact and insurance information from other drivers, and speak to witnesses if any were at the scene. Upon gaining this information, turn it over as quickly as possible to your car wreck lawyer at Grey Law.
Protecting Your Interests
Even if you feel your car accident is minor, do not hesitate to contact the police. In many cases, even a minor car accident can lead to significant injuries. However, since injuries such as whiplash or complications from a concussion or back injuries may not be evident until a few days after the accident, many accident victims fail to take this into consideration. Should this happen, they often have a much more difficult time proving the injuries were caused by the car accident. Therefore, always protect your health as well as your legal interests as much as possible by filing a police report and hiring the services of an experienced, aggressive, and personal attorney from Grey Law.
Admitting Fault
When you file a police report, be very careful when you are speaking to police at the accident scene. Since it will be their job to make an initial determination as to who was at fault for the accident, they will be listening closely to everything you say. Thus, should you happen to say “I’m sorry” or something similar during the course of your conversation, this may be interpreted by police as you accepting responsibility for the accident. Should this be stated in the police report, an insurance company will use this to its advantage to deny your claim. Therefore, say as little to police about the accident until you have spoken to a traffic accident lawyer in Los Angeles from Grey Law.
Making Your Insurance Claim
Contrary to what many car accident victims believe, filing a police report does not automatically mean they are filing an insurance claim. In fact, the police report is only looked at as an accurate record of the accident, and will be used by the insurance company to get information about what happened that led to the accident. Unfortunately, the insurer will also be looking for anything it can use against you to deny your claim. Rather than let this happen, always rely on a knowledgeable Los Angeles personal injury attorney from Grey Law to make sure an insurance company abides by the terms of its policy and provides reasonable compensation for your damages.
Don’t Leave the Scene Until You File a Report
If police are called to the accident scene, never leave the scene until you have spoken with them and file an accident report. If you do, two things will happen. First, it will give the other driver involved in the accident a chance to have the full attention of the police and tell the story any way they see fit, which will often include portraying themselves as the innocent victim of your alleged reckless driving. Second, by leaving the scene before speaking to officers, it will appear as if you have something to hide from police. Rather than make an already difficult situation much harder, always stay at the scene until you have spoken to police. Afterwards, arrange to speak to a car accident attorney at Grey Law. By discussing your accident with a knowledgeable car wreck attorney in LA, you can learn about various options you may have regarding a lawsuit and compensation for damages.
The Police Report May Work to Your Advantage
If police investigate the accident and determine the other driver was at fault, the report they file can work to your advantage. Once your car wreck injury attorney obtains a copy of the report, they can use the information it contains to put additional pressure on the other driver’s insurance company and lawyers to settle the case out-of-court. Not only will this save you the time and expense of going to court, but it will also allow your auto accident lawyer in Los Angeles to pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and other damages.
Questioning Your Motives
Should you file a claim with your insurance company without having any official record of the accident, such as a police report, the insurance company may question your motives for filing a claim. In other words, the company may believe you are attempting to commit fraud. Since you don’t want nor need the added burden of this problem while dealing with your car accident injuries, always make sure you do everything possible to file a police report, even if your accident is minor. By doing so, you can make it far easier to gain compensation for your damages.
While it can be a hassle dealing with police and insurance companies after a car accident, it is important to do so in order to gain compensation for your injuries and damages. To get started on your case today, schedule a consultation with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer at Grey Law.
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