When speaking with the at-fault driver of your car accident event, they may try to convince you not to get the police involved. However, you must stand firm and call 911. Continue reading to learn why you should call the police after your accident and how an experienced St. Mary’s County car accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you with your legal action.
Why should I call the police after my car accident?
The main reason for calling the police to respond to your car accident scene is so that they may conduct an official accident report. Now, an accident report is somewhat essential for your future personal injury and auto insurance claims. This is because it may determine fault and the extent of your damages. Further, it may allow the Maryland civil court and auto insurance provider to deduce the payout you are entitled to.
Without further ado, the responding police officer may record the following pieces of critical information within their report:
- The date, time, and location of your car accident event.
- The makes, models, and years of the cars involved in your accident event.
- The external factors that possibly contributed to your car accident event (i.e., bad weather or road conditions).
- A diagram of how the cars involved were configured at the accident scene and where other external contributors were present.
- The officer’s expert opinion on who or what caused the car accident event to happen and other citations or violations of traffic laws.
What other actions should I take at the scene of my car accident?
After you speak with the responding police officer and give your statement for the official accident report, you should take the other following actions:
- Take photos and videos of your visible bodily injuries and car damages.
- Exchange contact and auto information information with the other involved driver(s).
- Exchange contact information with the present witness(es) and ask them to testify on your behalf.
- Permit the police officer to dispatch an ambulance to the scene of your car accident.
- Submit to initial treatment by emergency medical technicians who respond to the scene.
- Allow paramedics to transport you to the emergency room via ambulance for additional treatment.
Soon after, you may ask property owners who are neighbors at the scene of your accident for copies of their security camera footage. Or, you may ask the municipality for copies of their red light or intersection camera footage near the scene. However, you may need a lawyer to help you obtain this, as a warrant may be necessary.
In conclusion, a skilled St. Mary’s County auto accident lawyer can help kickstart your legal action today. Our team at The Dorsey Law Firm will happily take on your case.
