Whenever you are involved in a car accident, you should contact the police at the crash scene and obtain a copy of the police report. The police report will contain helpful information, such as a narration of how the collision occurred, who was at fault, and whether any citations were issued. It can be very useful when filing a claim with the insurance company.
However, the police do not always show up at the scene. If you are in this situation, here’s what you can do to document your accident and protect your right to compensation for your injuries from the negligent driver.
Why the Police May Not Show Up at a Crash Scene
There are a number of reasons that the police may not come when you call to report a collision. Here are some common ones:
- If there were no injuries or the injuries were minor, it may not be a priority to the police, especially if there are a lot of other accidents or other incidents they need to respond to at the same time.
- If your accident happened in a parking lot or on private property, the police may have a policy not to respond.
- If weather conditions are bad, the police may not have sufficient personnel to respond to all the crashes being reported and may only go to the scene of the most serious ones.
What to Do If the Police Don’t Show Up After You Call 911
If the police will not come to your accident scene, it is important to remember that this will not prevent you from filing a claim with the negligent driver’s or your own insurance company. You also have options for obtaining a police report. Here’s what you need to do:
- Seek medical care. Your first step should be to obtain immediate medical treatment for anyone injured in the crash.
- Obtain contact information. You should get the contact information for the other driver and his insurance company. This includes the driver’s name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, and the license plate number for his vehicle. If there were any witnesses to the collision, it is vital to obtain their contact information too.
- Take pictures. Use your cell phone camera to take pictures of the damage to the vehicles, the accident scene, your injuries, and anything else you think might be helpful when you file your claim.
- File your own report. If the police do not come to you, you may be able to go to the police station or on their website and file a police report on your own. They most likely have a form that you can fill out to file the report.
- Retain an attorney. It is always best to retain an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible to file your claim for compensation with the insurance company and negotiate your settlement so that you receive all that you deserve.
Were you injured in a car accident in Norfolk? Call our office or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation to get your questions answered and learn how we can help you.
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