A car accident will ruin your day. It throws off your whole schedule as you consider everything you have to do to get things back to normal. After a crash, many drivers want to get back to their business as quickly as possible. However, that can be a big mistake. Here’s why you should stick around after a car accident.
Don’t Run
If you’re ever in a car accident and the other driver flees the scene without exchanging insurance information, you have become the victim of a hit and run. After a crash, you must exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver, failing to do so is a criminal offense.
Fleeing a car accident implies some degree of guilt, even if you were not at fault. Whether the accident is a serious crash or a minor fender-bender, you must exchange insurance information and contact your insurance company.
Moreover, there’s an expectation for drivers to provide reasonable assistance in the event of a crash. If someone is seriously hurt, the other driver should make their best effort to call for emergency services.
File a Police Report
Under California law, you must call the police if anyone is injured or killed in a car accident. If you see blood, call for emergency services. California law also requires a police report for accidents incurring more than $1,000 in damages.
A police report serves as an official document detailing the accident. While filing the report, you should make sure the information is as accurate as possible. Having a police report gets a fresh set of eyes on the scene and can make insurance settlements move faster.
Be sure to stick around until the report is finished. You don’t know how the other driver might describe the crash and the police officer may have additional questions based on conflicting information. Be patient and mindful of what you say until the officer concludes their report. When you’re done, seek an experienced auto injury attorney as soon as possible.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a car accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Oxnard auto injury attorney from Schurmer Reese Davies to evaluate your claim, please send us an email or call (805) 470-1628.