Most people call 911 after a car crash, but does the law require you to? Athens accident lawyers meet with clients all the time who didn’t call the cops after their car accident. For some reason, they don’t think they have to report the crash.
When asked why they would agree to do this, they say they didn’t feel like waiting around all day for the cop to fill out their reports. This is not a good enough excuse. If you don’t call the police, you’re making your attorney’s job infinitely harder than it has to be. You’ll also risk losing your case because you have no police report.
Georgia Law Requires that You Report Most Car Accidents
Most states have special rules about reporting motor vehicle accidents. In Georgia, you have to report any crash that results in the following:
- Damage of $500 or more
- Injury to any person
- The death of any individual
Since there’s no way to know how much damage was actually caused, you should call the police anyway. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.
You Should Always Call 911 After a Car Accident – No Matter What
There’s never a good reason to not call the cops. It doesn’t matter how minor the crash is. Even if you don’t think you’re injured, you need to call 911. First, you’re legally required to report any accident that involves damage to the cars or an injury.
Almost every accident meets these basic criteria. When you call 911, they’ll come out to do their investigation. This will also count as reporting the wreck. It saves you from having to do that on your own.
Your Athens Accident Lawyer Will Need the Police Report
The best evidence for a car accident case is a copy of the police report. When the police come to the accident scene, they do a thorough investigation of the crash. Some of the things they include in the police report includes the following:
- Name and contact information for both drivers
- License and registration information
- Copy of the insurance cards
- Pictures of the accident scene
- Description of the road conditions
- Statements from each driver
- Witness statements and contact information for the witnesses
Without this basic information, your Athens accident lawyer will have a difficult time proving your case. You also want to make sure you have contact information for the witnesses. This is the only way your attorney can get in touch with them. Sometimes, witnesses are the only evidence you have to prove that the other driver was at fault.
The Cops Will Check to See if the Other Driver is Intoxicated
One of the benefits of having the cops come to the scene is they’ll check to see if the other driver is drunk. When the police arrive at a crash site, they look to see if either of the drivers is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If the other driver is inebriated, they’ll be arrested and charged with DUI.
Your Athens accident lawyer will be able to use this to help prove your case. One of the elements of negligence is that the defendant breached their duty of care. Violating any of the traffic laws is evidence of this breach. The fact that they were drinking and driving will strengthen your case tremendously.
Call an Experienced Athens Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been the victim of a car accident, you should talk to an Athens accident lawyer immediately. You only have a certain amount of time to report your crash. You also need to file your insurance claim. If you wait too long, you may miss your deadline.
And if you wait too long, you may miss the statute of deadlines period. If that happens, you won’t be able to file your claim at all. If you talk to an experienced Athens accident lawyer right away, they’ll make sure you file your claim on time. They’ll also try to resolve the matter with the insurance company.
While there’s no rule that says you have to file an attorney, it’s in your best interest to have one by your side. These cases can become complicated. You don’t want the insurance agency to take advantage of you. If you don’t have an attorney, they may try to get you to accept a low settlement. Rather than risk this happening, just schedule your initial consultation with one of our skilled Athens accident lawyers.