When people are severely injured, or vehicles are damaged in a car accident, people generally call the police. But, do you need to report an accident where your vehicle is fine, and you have suffered little to no injuries? Many people think that reporting minor car accidents is not essential. However, informing the authorities about an accident, however minor, is necessary for a number of reasons.
The only time you do not need to report injuries is when no other person is involved. You can contact Johnston Law Firm to find the perfect lawyers to look into your situation. A lawyer can investigate your case and see whether it requires legal action.
Do you need to report minor car accidents?
All the states of the United States have differing laws. In some states, you are required to report an accident to the police, no matter how minor it is. In others, if the involved parties are not injured, and there are no vehicle damages, the incident does not need to be reported. You can check your state laws on the Internet or consult with an attorney regarding the same.
If there is no legal requirement in your state to report minor accidents like a fender bender, it is still wise to inform the police and exchange information with the other party.
Reporting the accident to Law Enforcement
You should report minor accidents to Law Enforcement for several reasons. After the accident, the most important thing to do is stop at the scene and exchange contact information with the other party. Ask for their name, phone number, address and note down their car details (license plate number, color, model). If the other party is uncooperative, you might need the assistance of the police officers to obtain this information.
Additionally, when the police officers arrive at the scene, they investigate the incident by checking whether there have been any traffic violations, take photographs of the scene, speak to witnesses and note down what they think happened at the scene. These reports may come in handy later if you decide to file a legal claim.
You may think informing Law Enforcement is not important as you would not be filing the claim. However, even minor accidents can cause injuries that may not be visible immediately after the accident. Some signs and symptoms of injuries may take days or weeks to show. If you do not call the police at the scene and later decide to file a claim, the other party can claim that the accident never occurred.
