Highways can be dangerous places for motorists. Although speed remains the number one reason for car accidents along our nation’s highways, other factors that cause vehicle crashes include inattention, poor weather conditions, and highways that have degraded to the point of presenting imminent danger.
If you were involved in a highway accident, you understand the stress the accident triggered. Simply getting out of your car to inspect the damage is an exercise in anxiety, as hundreds of cars fly by inches within your vehicle.
How do you handle the aftermath of a highway accident? Do you need to contact law enforcement or can you and the other driver(s) take care of the accident aftermath on your own? The most important question is how do you handle a highway accident that does not include a police report?
Examples of Why You Might Not Need a Police Report
Incredible stress and anxiety can create a fog in your head that prevents you from making clearly thought out decisions. After an auto crash on a highway, the amount of stress and anxiety experienced by all drivers can make everyone forget about the importance of calling the nearest police department. Even with your cell phone in hand, all you want to do is let everyone that is close to you know that you are alright.
Some circumstances do not require the reporting of a highway accident to a law enforcement agency. You might have nudged the car in front of you during a traffic jam or lost some of the tread on a tire that forced you to side of a highway. However, most highway accidents require the help of a police officer simply because law enforcement should be at the scene of the car accident to direct traffic.
Evidence You Should Collect on Your Own
If you describe a highway accident to a police officer over the phone and the officer does not believe the accident warrants the sending out of one or more patrol cars, then you need to acquire specific information from the other driver (s). You need to ask for a driver’s license to write down contact information. The other driver(s) should also present proof of auto insurance, specifically a comprehensive liability policy.
Your work is not complete by gathering driver information. You should collect evidence of the highway accident, since you will not have a police report to present to your insurance company. Physical evidence is the most persuasive type of evidence, and it comes in the form of photographs taken at the scene of the car accident. Using your Smartphone, shoot images of any damage caused to your vehicle and take pics of the accident scene. You might have to take multiple shots to capture the entire area of the accident.
Contact a Licensed Personal Injury Attorney
A highly rated personal injury lawyer can do much more than help you settle a health insurance claim. He or she will also offer support when you submit physical evidence of the highway vehicle crash to your insurance carrier. Your attorney will also guide you through the insurance claim process.
