You are not legally required to keep an information exchange form in your car just in case you need it, as a police officer attending an accident scene will have one available and will distribute them if he or she thinks it’s fit to do so.
If you have the misfortune to become involved in what seems to be a minor auto accident, as the damage to property appears to be no more than $1,500 and no known injuries have taken place, the officer will probably call your accident “non reportable.”
When this takes place the officer will fill in a Police Crash Report and not ask too many questions but will distribute an “Exchange of Information” form. If you are involved in an accident and the police are not called you will still need to exchange information with the other driver.
This is when an exchange of information form would be handy to have around. You must inform the police immediately if there has been any death or injury resulting from the accident.
If you have been involved in an auto accident, you are probably aware that you should exchange information with the other driver or drivers. Sometimes that is easier said that done. The other drivers may not want to cooperate.
If the other driver doesn’t want to exchange information with you, there isn’t much you can do. The responding office who completes the accident report will be able to get that information and include it in the report, so you will get to access the details when you get your copy of the accident report.
You should still gather what information you can at the scene of the crash. Take photos of the accident scene and of the damages. You should get details about the vehicles, including the make and model of vehicle, a photo of the other vehicle, and the license plate information.
The more information you can get, the more helpful it will be for your personal injury claim against the other driver.
If the other driver leaves the scene, you shouldn’t panic. Remember as many details as you can about the crash. Try to get the make, model, and color of vehicle, its direction of travel, and if you can get just a partial license plate number it will help.
Also, check to see if there are witnesses. Corroborating witness statements can help you with your claim. Get the names of any witnesses and be sure to get their contact details as well.
Don’t leave the accident scene. Always call the police. You will want an officer to come to the crash scene and complete an accident report. This accident report will confirm that the accident did happen and that you suffered damages. It can be the foundation of an auto accident injury claim where you recover compensation for your damages suffered in the crash.
You should be sure to gather as much evidence as possible. Look to see if there are cameras in the area that may have caught the accident on video. This could be traffic cameras, dash cameras, or surveillance cameras. If a camera caught the incident, the video could be used as supporting evidence for your accident injury case.
If the other driver left the scene, don’t hesitate to get the police involved. They will try to track down the other driver and get the information that you need for your auto accident injury claim. You should call the police regardless of whether the other driver stays on the scene of the crash.
You may want to consider using a witness information card. When you complete one of these cards, you will be able to easily gather the names and contact details of the witnesses so they can be contacted later. These cards will be helpful for your lawyer who will contact them to get the details of what they saw and how it happened.
Your accident injury lawyer will be able to determine who is at fault and who is responsible for the damages that you suffered. Your attorney will also be able to determine which damages that you claim because of the crashes.
You will want to claim past, present, and future damages from the accident. You may have future medical costs and future loss of earnings. When you pursue a personal injury claim, you will need to claim all your losses together, so it is best to talk with a lawyer before you start negotiating with the auto insurance carrier of the other driver.
What an Exchange of Information Form Contains
The exchange of information form typically contains the following information about a driver: name and address, telephone number, number of the driver’s license, number of the license plate, model of vehicle, make, color and year, as well as the insurance company details.
Keeping this information in a safe place can be critical for your attorney to properly handle your claim. If you're unsure about what you'd need to take down or how to do it, you may want to take a look at our tips for taking down someone's information.
An Exchange of Information Form is Useful in a Non-Reportable Accident
If you need to file for compensation for injuries that have taken place in a non-reportable accident, it is useful if you have the “Exchange of Information” form you used at the accident scene.
This will be of great help to your personal injury attorney for determining important accident details like where and when the accident happened, who was driving the other vehicle and his or her contact details.
These sorts of details won’t be available at the police station as it was a non-reportable accident. The insurance company’s response to your claim may not even have the name of the defendant accountable for the accident. You may be able to use this information as evidence for a personal injury case.
What To Do If You Exchange Information
If you do exchange information with the other driver, you should include your name, your contact information, your auto insurer, the policy number, and your make and model of vehicle.
You should ask for those same details from the other driver, so you can pursue a personal injury claim and recover compensation for your damages. This is the standard information, so you will know where to send your demand letter and get your claim underway quickly.
Sending a demand letter is the first step in getting your personal injury claim underway. When you send the letter, you will need to detail what happened, how it happened, and when it happened. You should explain what happened and why you believe they should pay for the damages that you suffered.
Your lawyer will help you gather supporting documentation and evidence so you can make sure your claim has a strong foundation. After all, if you cannot prove negligence and show your damages you will not be able to have a successful claim against the liable party.
Never apologize to the other driver, and don’t say you are partially at fault. Instead, leave that up to the officer and investigators to determine. Even if you are partly to blame, you shouldn’t willingly admit it as any attorney or insurance company will tell you.
What Your Lawyer Will Do
Your attorney will conduct his or her own investigation into the accident. He or she will gather as much supporting documentation as possible. Your attorney will review photos of the accident scene, go over your medical bills and medical records, look at the photos of the accident scene and of the damages, and review all the details to determine how to proceed with your personal injury claim after the accident.
While completing an information exchange form after an auto accident can be helpful, don’t be worried if you don’t get one filled out. You can still have a successful personal injury claim.
Your lawyer will know how to proceed with your claim and will help you gather the other supporting evidence. Provide all the information that you regarding your accident to your personal injury lawyer.
A personal injury attorney is familiar with the state laws and will know the best way to proceed with your claim after reviewing the specific details and supporting evidence. Get a free case review from a personal injury lawyer who handles auto accident injury cases in your state.
If you have been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and you are intent on suing the driver any information collected at the time of the accident which was filled in on an Exchange of Information form will be vital for your case. This is because it gives your attorney access to the correct information regarding the details of those involved plus the contact details of the insurer.
