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After a serious car crash, you may be tempted to go home and relax. After all, the paperwork will still be there tomorrow. That’s only partially true. In reality, there’s a very good reason why you can’t wait to report a crash.
Police Report
After a car crash, the first thing your attorney will ask is whether you filed a police report. State law requires that those involved in a crash file a report if anyone is hurt or if there’s significant financial damage. Yet many don’t file a report at all.
A police report creates an unbiased, publicly-accessible report demonstrating that a crash occurred. Descriptions from the report can be used to determine fault, as can statements from those involved. A police report is arguably the most important piece of evidence to demonstrate a crash to the insurance company.
Medical Report
Once you have a police report, you should not head home. Instead, go straight to your doctor or an urgent care provider. Tell your doctor that you were involved in a car crash. They’ll give you an exam designed to identify “invisible” injuries, such as hairline fractures, organ damage, or dashboard knee. When you identify these injuries on the day of the accident, you give yourself the best chance to avoid complications in the following weeks.
The medical report, paired with the police report, demonstrates that a crash occurred and that it was serious enough to warrant immediate medical attention. It sends a powerful message to the insurance company and tells them that your injuries were the direct result of the car crash.
Insurance Report
Finally, you need to report the crash to your insurance company. Most insurance policies require that you do so within 24 hours of the incident. It may be difficult, but the sooner you do it, the sooner you can start your road to recovery.
Simply call your insurance company and tell them you were involved in a crash. Keep the details to a minimum. Provide the other driver’s insurance information, but do not give details about the crash. If they request a recorded statement, you should politely decline until you’ve received guidance from your attorney.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a car crash, you might need an attorney who puts people first. If you’d like an experienced Sacramento injury lawyer from Piering Law Firm to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (916) 476-2399.