Too often, car accident victims choose not to call the police because they believe their injuries are not severe or the property damage to their car or truck is minor.
Fight the urge to "handle" the accident by yourself or not "bother the police" with the accident. The police dispatcher will let you know if they do not have any officers available to take the report on a minor impact car accident. Let the police decide.
When in doubt, you should call the police because:
1. What if you're hurt and don't know it?
Not all car-accident injuries are evident right away. Sometimes people are in shock or are running on adrenaline and do not feel injuries until later in the day or even the next morning. Some injuries take time to rear their ugly heads. Without a police report, it will be harder to file a claim for injuries.
2. What if the other driver changes his/her story after leaving the scene?
It can and does happen. The same driver that rushed to your car after an accident and apologized while accepting 100% of the blame may change their story after they leave the scene of the accident.
3. What if the other driver gives you expired or false insurance information?
Giving false information to a police officer is a criminal offense. Not calling the police takes all the pressure off someone who knows they don't have valid or active insurance.
A police report is the best, unbiased, third-party account of the facts of a car accident. A police report will almost always be viewed as a most reliable account of what happened during a car accident. A police report is usually given more weight than the memory or opinion of either party involved in the actual collision. When in doubt, call the police!
Burnett Legal Group represents car accident victims against insurance companies all over the State of Nebraska. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, you should take action quickly and contact Burnett Legal Group at (402) 810-8611 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.