Car accidents can be very horrifying. Sadly, many survivors assume that they can handle everything afterwards and resolve the dispute without any assistance. This is especially the case for minor accidents where injuries can be underestimated. While assisting others after an accident is essential, this occupies a fragment of what you should do after an accident. It is wise and very crucial that you inform the police. Well, we have compiled a detailed guide on how you can file a police report after an accident to avoid grave challenges later.
Filing a Police Report after a Car Accident
1. Call the nearest station
Informing the police is essential even if there are no visible damages. The police will inquire about the location, time, date, victims, nature of the accident, cars involved, injuries inflicted, and a lot more. Reporting ensures that the accident is well documented from a legal perspective. The police will advise on what to do. You should also take note of the officers who arrive at the scene for investigation.
2. Follow up
Informing the police about the accident is half the task. You might have to follow up to get your detailed report, keeping in mind that they are tied down with many other responsibilities. You should get a police report which comes in handy when you want compensation from your insurer and, in other cases, from the driver who was at fault. Without a police report, you may find yourself at a heated spot against the other driver, and many times, it never ends well. The description acts as evidence highlighting the facts to help you to close a fair deal.
3. Review the report
Did you know that some people fake car accidents for their financial gain? Yes, the period between reporting and waiting for the police to arrive is very crucial, and you should be alert. The driver at fault can hire other people to act as witnesses in his or her favor. Other times, they can manipulate the scene to shift the blame to you or interfere with the CCTV feed to eliminate evidence. Such actions are known to complicate cases and burden innocent drivers. Don’t take anything to chance. Collect evidence by taking pictures or videos of the scene, speaking to witnesses and the likes. Then you can compare notes with the police to ensure the facts are correctly captured.
4. Point the differing areas for further investigation
If there’s anything that’s differently mentioned in the report than the actual incident, you need to point it out. This will ward off complications such as being denied compensation and imprisonment and prompt the officers to launch a further investigation.
You ought to hire a lawyer for help getting facts well documented in the police report and correcting any errors. According to Injury Lawyers San Antonio, a police report is essential in such a claim. So you ought to ensure that the facts are well documented to avoid hurting your case.
Final words:
Police play a vital role in piecing everything together after a car accident. Therefore, do not underestimate what they document after a car accident. Whether a case is major or minor, protect yourself and your case by getting the right report from the agency, fast!
