If you have been involved in an accident, you might be wondering how long you have to file a police report. The answer would be the sooner the better. That means that you should report the accident as soon as it happens. But, different state laws indicate how long you have in order to file a police report after a crash.
As an example, you were in Florida and you had what you thought was a minor fender bender without injuries. A week later, you find out the damage to your vehicle was more extensive and you suffered whiplash. To file a claim with auto insurance, you will need an accident report. In Florida, you have 10 days to report an accident to the police following a crash. If you don’t report the crash at the scene or right after, you only have 10 days to do so.
Filing an Accident Report After a Car Crash
If you have been involved in a car accident, you should contact the police. In many states, you are required to notify the police after an auto accident. In some states, a crash must be reported if specific criteria are met. Just because you have a filed an accident report does not mean that a claim will be filed with your auto insurance carrier.
An accident report can protect you. Even if an accident seems to be very minor, any of the parties might learn of more serious property damages or personal injuries later. By filing an accident report, you have the details recorded, so if a claim must be filed later there is a proper record of what took place.
Having the report filled out at the accident scene, you can give a statement while it all is fresh in your memory. Later, someone else involved could allege that you did something you didn’t do or place blame where it doesn’t belong.
What Does An Accident Report Entail?
The accident report will establish where the vehicles were located, where the impact occurred, the visible damages to the vehicles and if anyone notices any injuries right away. Statements will be taken from all drivers as well as any witnesses to the crash. All these details are going to be used to settle the personal injury claim.
Consult With a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been involved in a car accident, you might pursue a personal injury claim to recover compensation for the damages you suffered as because of the accident. An attorney will investigate the crash, review the details, go over the accident report, talk to witnesses, and check all the documentation you have gathered in support of your claim.
A strict statute of limitations applies to a personal injury claim, so time is of the essence. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page to have the details of your case reviewed by a personal injury attorney who serves your area. Get your accident injury claim on track today!
