should i ask a lawyer for help when filing a crash report

by Martine Crist 7 min read

While you do not need to seek legal counsel, a car accident lawyer may help you file a claim or lawsuit against a negligent party. Getting into a car accident due to another party's negligence typically results in stress, frustration, and injuries.

Do I have to report a car accident to the police?

Apr 15, 2018 · You should always ask your car accident lawyer if your case is strong enough to cover your losses. Your lawyer may not have all of the answers up front, but they can at least tell you how they assess your claim before you agree to representation. 3. How Does Negotiation Work? Not all cases go to court.

Do I need a lawyer after a car accident that was not my fault?

Aug 17, 2018 · CALL (800) 863-5312 TO SPEAK WITH CAR ACCIDENT INJURY LAWYERS FOR FREE Obtaining a crash report after a car accident is important for preserving a claim in the future. After getting treated for any injuries, you should ensure a crash report is filed to record the details of the car accident.

What should I do if the police don't respond to an accident?

For a free legal consultation, call (800) 747-3733 Why You Should Speak With a Lawyer Before Filing an Insurance Claim To get compensation, you must file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, your insurance company, or both. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help ensure you make such claims to the right party.

Do you need a free case review after a car accident?

Mar 03, 2020 · Call KNR for Help Filing an Insurance Claim. When an experienced car accident attorney handles the process, you avoid making common mistakes that can lead the insurer to deny your claim or significantly decrease your settlement. Typically, a lawyer increases your chance of the insurer deciding the claim in your favor.

Why You Should Speak With a Lawyer Before Filing an Insurance Claim

To get compensation, you must file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, your insurance company, or both. The Law Firm of Anidjar &...

A Lawyer Helps You Figure Out What Damages You Are Eligible to Collect

Do you know how much compensation you might be due after a car accident? Perhaps you got an estimate to fix your car, or you just received the bill...

How Long Do You Have to Report a Car Accident in Florida?

You have 10 days to report a car accident in Florida. In most cases, the drivers involved call police from the scene of the accident, and the respo...

Car Accident Reporting Requirements Under Florida Law

Florida lawmakers outline the rules for filing a report after a car accident in Florida Statute § 316.066. This statute requires anyone who is in a...

The Importance of Filing a Report After a Florida Car Accident

The law makes it clear that you must contact police and file a report if your car accident is serious enough to require it. If you fail to, you cou...

Reporting Your Car Accident to Your Insurance Carrier

In addition to filing a police report, you will need to report any injuries or property damage to your insurance company quickly after your acciden...

Talk to a Florida Car Accident Attorney About Your Crash

If you have any questions or concerns about getting the compensation you need to pay for your medical care, lost wages, or other losses stemming fr...

Do I Have to Report a Minor Accident to the Police?

If you were in a fender bender or other minor accident, you may not have to report your accident to the police.

Should I Still Call the Police If My Accident Was Minor?

f your accident was minor and does not meet the above criteria, you do not legally have to report it. However, our attorneys recommend that you rep...

What Happens When the Police Arrive?

Once you make the call, a police officer will arrive at the scene and document the accident in a Florida Traffic Crash Report.

How to get to safety?

Get to safety by moving out of the road onto the shoulder or sidewalk, if possible. Do not remain in your car if you can safely exit the vehicle and get to a safer place. If your car is still able to drive and it is safe to do so, move your car to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights to increase visibility.

What to do before filing a crash report?

Before filing a crash report with the police, take care to ensure you and everyone else is safe. Check yourself and any passengers for injuries first. If it is an emergency, call 911 or instruct someone else to call on your behalf. If you are seriously injured, try not to move and wait for help to arrive.

Why is it important to get a crash report after a car accident?

Obtaining a crash report after a car accident is important for preserving a claim in the future. After getting treated for any injuries, you should ensure a crash report is filed to record the details of the car accident.

Do police have to go to the scene of an accident?

Sometimes, there may not be an officer available right away to document the scene and file a crash report for you. In some states, police are not required to go to the scene of an accident if there are minimal damages or no injuries. Police may also be busy dealing with a public emergency and may not be able to come to the scene.

What to do when you get in a car accident in Fort Lauderdale?

If possible, take these important steps right away: Call 911 to request the presence of Fort Lauderdale police and an ambulance for anyone who is injured Remove your vehicle from the flow of ]

What happened on Independence Way?

According to the news report by officials, the crash happened when the driver of a silver Chevrolet traveling southbound on Independence Way suddenly went off the road on a curve.

What to do after a car accident?

After filing a police report, the next thing you need to do is visit your doctor for a complete medical examination. Even if you feel perfectly fine, you may have sustained injuries in the car accident.

What happens if you get in a car accident?

After suffering a car accident, you can be left with car repair expenses and high medical bills. You might have to take time off work for doctor visits and physical therapy. You might even be left with a permanent disability. For a free legal consultation, call (800) 747-3733.

Can you get damages if your airbags did not deploy?

If you have been in an accident and your airbags did not deploy, you may be entitled to damages if it is determined that there was a defect in the airbags. A defective product or personal injury lawyer in Orlando, FL, can walk you through the legal process for pursuing any such damages you are ]

Do you have to file a police report after a car accident in Florida?

In Florida, you are legally required to file a police report after a car accident if anyone was injured, a car was towed, or either car was damaged. You also need to contact the police if you suspect the other driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

How long does it take to get a copy of a police report?

You will need to get a copy of your car accident report. It’s normally available within 10 days. Although the police report is not admissible in court, it’s frequently used by insurance companies in deciding liability.

What to do if police don't come to the scene?

If officers don’t come to the scene, file your own police report as soon as possible. It is not unusual for the at-fault party to accept responsibility right after the accident, only to change their story later.

What is the witness contact information?

Witness contact information and their statements. Injuries noted at the scene. Description of the road or parking lot where the accident occurred. A diagram of the accident scene. In most states, you’re not required to talk to the police, but it may be in your best interests to have your side of the story in the report.

What to do after a traffic accident?

Call the Police Immediately. The first step after any traffic accident is to call 9-1-1. Even if there are no injuries or property damage that you are aware of, you’ll want an officer to come and take a report. When the police show up, they’ll conduct a brief investigation and try to figure out who caused the accident.

Do you have to report a car accident to the police?

And in many states, the law requires you to a report car accident to the police.

Can the police take a report of a car accident?

In busy metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles, the police may not take a car accident report unless there are injuries. If this happens, try filing an accident report with the DMV to have your statement and evidence recorded as soon after the accident as possible.

Hard Evidence

A police report is the best piece of evidence you can have after a car crash. Just as a medical report verifies that your injuries are the result of a crash, a police report verifies that there was a crash in the first place.

Legal Impact

Reporting a crash isn’t just good for your case; it’s often required by law. In Missouri, you are required to file a police report if your crash either causes more than $500 in property damage or if anyone was seriously hurt or even killed.

Should I File a Police Report?

You should file a police report as soon as possible, regardless of who was at fault. There are several reasons for filing a police report immediately. First, the report is the only official document that will prove that the accident occurred.

When to File a Police Report

The ideal time to file your report is during the accident. Call the police while you are still in your car. Do not exit or move it until the police arrive at the scene. However, you should note that police only respond to serious accidents. If the accident is minor, you may get instructed on how to file a report later.

Florida Law Requires Crash Reporting

Florida law outlines the conditions under which you can report an accident. You should only file a report where the resulting damages are over $500, or if a person is injured. Moreover, the report should be filed within 10 days of the accident. Failure to report a serious accident could result in penalties and/or jail time.

What is an error of fact?

An error of fact is a mistake involving objective information. An error of fact can occur in a police report if the officer preparing the police report transposes digits in a social security number or telephone number, or confuses the make, model, and/or color of a vehicle that was involved in the accident.

What happens after a car accident?

After a car accident, especially when someone was injured, it's likely that a law enforcement officer will come to the scene and prepare a report of the accident -- who was involved, how it happened, who was injured, extent of vehicle damage, and in some cases, information on who was at fault. So, a police report can paint a pretty authoritative ...

How to correct an error of fact?

Usually, an error of fact can be corrected by simply producing proof of the correct information, typically through documentation. If you notice an error of fact in a police report, you can typically just contact the officer who prepared the report, and provide proof of the correct information -- vehicle registration records, your driver's license, ...

What is the first piece of evidence that everyone will look at after a car accident?

From a legal standpoint, if an insurance claim or lawsuit is filed after a car accident, the police report is one of the first pieces of documentary evidence that everyone will look at -- including attorneys and insurance claims adjusters.

What does Witness 2 say in a police report?

In the report, Witness 2 states that Driver 1 entered the intersection while the traffic signal was still green , but you think the traffic signal was already red at the time. It's very difficult to amend a police report in situations like this, because Witness 2's statement may not be technically incorrect ...

Can a police officer attach an addendum to a report?

The police officer can easily attach an addendum to the report explaining the error, or may actually change the error on the report itself, depending on departmental policy.

Is a police report admissible in court?

This written police report is usually not admissible in court, but it can be a crucial tool when it comes to determining liability for the accident and preserving key facts surrounding the crash -- including contact information and statements from parties involved in the accident (drivers and passengers) and anyone who may be able to help piece together what happened (witnesses).