Every now and then, we meet with a new client who was involved in a minor car accident. When we ask if they have a copy of the police report, they tell us they didn’t both calling the police. These are not the words your Tucker accident attorney wants to hear. Not only are you supposed to report the crash under Georgia law. But you are also supposed to call 911 for practical reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that your Tucker accident attorney is going to need a copy of the police report. Second, you want to make sure the cops are there to issue tickets for speeding or distracted driving. They may even have to make an arrest if the other driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the tie of the crash. If you don’t call the cops, you won’t have this information. That means your Georgia injury lawyer won’t have this information. That makes their job harder than it already is.
Here, we’ll discuss why it’s critical that you call the police immediately after your car accident. We’ll also explain why your Tucker accident attorney needs a copy of the police report. If you still have questions about your own case, feel free to contact us directly. We offer new clients a free consultation. This gives you a chance to decide if you want to retain our services. It also gives our Georgia injury lawyers a chance to see if they want to handle your case. Since the consultation is free, you should take advantage of the opportunity to sit down with an experienced attorney.
You Have No Idea How Serious the Crash is At First
One of the reasons you need to call 911 immediately after your accident is that you have no idea how serious it is. You don’t know if anybody is injured. And you have no idea what kind of damage the vehicles sustained. Since the law requires that you report any accident involving bodily injury or property damage, you’ll need to contact the authorities at some point. It’s much easier to just call them to come out and work the scene.
When the police do come out, they’ll do a thorough investigation of the crash. They’ll document the road conditions as well as any other things they notice about the crash. For example, if the accident happened in the middle of a busy intersection, there may be a camera available. This is the kind of evidence your Tucker accident attorney will need. They will also check to see if the other driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is the kind of thing you can only do on the scene. If you don’t call the cops, there will be no way to prove that they were drunk or high behind the wheel.
Your Tucker Accident Attorney Needs the Information in the Police Report
When the police complete their investigation, they’ll put all their findings in their report. Your Georgia injury lawyer needs this report because there is valuable information there. Some of the information contained in the report that is vital to your lawsuit includes the following:
- The license, insurance, and registration information for the two drivers
- Statements made by either driver
- Contact information for any eyewitnesses
- Statements made by the witnesses
- Description of the accident scene
- Description of the road conditions
- Notes about any tickets or arrests issued at the scene
Once the accident scene is cleared, none of this information will be available to your attorney. This is just one of the reasons why it’s critically important that you call the cops after your crash.
The Accident Could End Up Being a Lot More Serious Than You Thought
Even if you think the accident is minor at first, that could change. You could find out the day after the crash that you were seriously injured. For example, you may have suffered an internal injury that wasn’t apparent in the moments after your accident. Or your vehicle may end up being totaled by the insurance company. For all you know, your transmission could be shot after the accident. You won’t know until you try to put the car in reverse. There are all sorts of things that could be going on. You won’t know at the scene because you’ll be flustered and concerned with the here and now.
Your Best Option is to Call a Seasoned Tucker Accident Attorney Right Away
One of the benefits of calling a Tucker accident attorney right away is that they can help you file your insurance claim. You only have a couple of days to make an official statement to the insurance carrier. Of course, they’ll have whatever information you gave the police officer at the scene of the accident. But they’ll expect you to make a statement to one of their adjusters within a few days. You only get one chance to make this statement. If you say anything that could hurt your case, there’s no way to get it back. That’s why it’s best to have one of our Tucker accident attorneys there by your side. They will review whatever statement you intend to make to the insurance company. They’ll make sure you don’t say anything that could work against your interests.
We recommend that you contact a seasoned Georgia injury lawyer within days of your car accident. If you can call the same day, that works even better. You should come in and take advantage of your free, initial consultation as soon as possible. You know the other driver’s insurance company is going to defend them. You should have someone in your corner as well. You don’t want to go up against the insurance adjuster, the defendant, and their attorneys all by yourself. Plus, we offer all new clients a free, initial consultation anyway. You can sit down and tell an experienced Tucker accident attorney your version of the story. Let them know what your questions and concerns are upfront. They’ll do their best to answer any questions you may have. They can also get the process started on your behalf. Since the consultation is free, and since you don’t pay anything upfront, you have nothing to lose.
