After a car accident, there may be some confusion about what steps to take and which documents are necessary for processing a claim for personal injury or property damage. In addition to alerting your insurance company, you must file a police report as soon as possible after the accident. An experienced Miami personal injury attorney can help obtain the report and initiate a claim against the at-fault driver.
Should I Report a Car Accident to the Police?
A car accident should always be reported to the police. In most instances, a police officer will arrive at the scene of the accident. They will listen to and record your account of the sequence of events. When speaking to the police, objectively explain your version of events, but be careful not to apologize or admit liability in any way. Be sure to make a note of the officer’s name, badge number, and where they’re stationed. Within a few days of the accident, you can follow up with their department to request a copy of the report.
Can I Still File a Police Report If an Officer Didn’t Appear On the Scene?
Police officers do not always go to the scene of an accident. This may happen if the property damage is relatively minor. In this case, you will need to visit a local law enforcement office to report the accident. This can be your local police department, sheriff’s office, or Police station.
If an officer didn’t arrive on the scene, it could be very helpful to make your own record of what happened. Car crashes happen so quickly and can be very traumatic, and it’s possible to forget important details. Although you must report the accident within ten days, you may be unable to do so immediately. As soon as possible after the accident, write down or make an audio recording of the sequence of events.
Do I Need to Report the Accident if Nobody Was Injured?
It’s still necessary and important to obtain a police report even if nobody was injured. You will want to recover the cost of repairing any damage to your vehicle, and a police report is critical for such a claim. Additionally, some injuries won’t become apparent until some time after the accident. At this time, you may wish to make a personal injury claim. A police report will be necessary for dealing with the insurance company.
What Information Is Recorded in a Police Report?
A standard police report will include important information about the accident, the vehicles involved, and the drivers. When filing a police report, you can expect it to contain these bits of information:
- Date and time of the crash
- Location of the crash
- Weather conditions
- Descriptions of the vehicles involved
- License plate numbers
- Name and contact details for the drivers
- Insurance details for all drivers (including an indiction of any uninsured drivers)
- An explanation of the sequence of events
Getting a Police Report After a Miami Car Crash
Perhaps the most convenient method of retrieving a copy of the police report is to do so online. You can download an electronic, redacted copy of the report by visiting the Miami State Police website and using the E-Pay service.
Another method is to make a request via post, in which case you would receive an unredacted version. This requires a court order signed by a judge. A Miami personal injury lawyer can assist you in obtaining the judge’s order and the police report.
If you were recently in a car accident and you’re unsure of what steps to take next, a trusted personal injury attorney from Abogadas305 can help you claim the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation today.
