When you are in an accident, you may think you are not injured. Often times injuries sustained in a car accident appear later on and the pain associated with those injuries can increase over the next few days/week(s).
It is extremely important to file a police report for every accident. A police report may be the best way to protect yourself, especially if you plan to seek compensation for your injuries caused by the accident.
Call the police immediately after any accident, even if the other driver refuses. It is your right to file a police report.
Once the police arrive, give them your detailed account of what happened. The police will also take the accounts of the other driver and any witnesses. Make sure you obtain a copy of the filed police report.
The “at fault” driver is usually listed as Unit 1. Sometimes the police cannot determine who the “at fault” driver is.
The police must list one driver as Unit 1. If you are listed as Unit 1, but you were not the at fault driver, it can be difficult to prove your case. It is important to give the police officer all details and pay attention to what the police officer is writing on the report.
If there are any witnesses to the accident, the police should write the names and phone numbers of the witnesses on the report. It is always best for you to ask the witnesses to give you their names and phone numbers as well.
By having this information, you are protecting yourself if the police did not include witness information on the final report. Witnesses might be an un-biased third party account of what happened in an accident.
An experienced personal injury attorney will guide you through the proper steps to make your claim and get you the compensation you deserve.
Take action now for a free consultation or second opinion and call us at 312-888-6058 today!