Hitting a parked car is likely one of the few vehicle accidents that occurs way more often away off of roads and highways. From bumping into the back of a car at the grocery store to slamming into the side of a vehicle because your accelerator got stuck, there is a seemingly endless number of reasons why the driver of one car hits a parked car.
How to handle hitting a parked car is a tricky thing to do. In some case like the grocery store example, the driver and passengers of the car might not be inside the car.
Do you leave a note or do you call police? In other cases, a parked car idling in a movie theater parking lot might be full of people. Does this mean you need to speed dial 911 to initiate the law enforcement investigative process?
All car accident decisions require quick and accurate thinking. The result of any decision might be not to call police and instead, take care of gathering evidence and information yourself.
Cases When You Do Not Need Law Enforcement
Although a police report can be used as the starting point for investigating a criminal case, for car accidents involving a parked car, a police report is the official version of the event. Insurance companies consider a police report to be the most influential document that factors into their insurance claim decisions.
This means that if a parked car accident did not generate damage to either vehicle and no one came out of the accident injured, you can likely forgo the insurance claim process. Without the need to file an insurance claim, the need for a police report diminishes as well.
If you call the nearest law enforcement department, the responding officer might state there is no need for the police to come to the scene. If you plan to file an insurance claim, then you become responsible for collecting the evidence that accompanies the insurance claim.
What Evidence Do You Need to Collect?
Instead of a uniform police officer arriving at the scene to collect evidence, it is now up to you to retrieve both anecdotal and physical evidence. Anecdotal evidence comes from the statements made to you by witnesses and the driver of the parked vehicle.
It is important to ask questions to witnesses right after a car accident. You want the freshest accounts of what transpired, as well as prevent some witnesses from leaving the scene. Documenting the accounts provided by the other driver and any passengers is important as well.
Get Legal Assistance From a Lawyer
Filing a claim with an insurance company can make the most composed person pull his or her hair out. Figuring out confusing forms and knowing which documents to file can make the difference between you getting back money or leaving the insurance company office with just lint in your pocket.
A state licensed attorney who specializes in handling car accident cases can likely assist you with presenting the most persuasive claim to your insurance carrier. To have your claim looked over by a personal injury attorney that takes cases in your area, complete the Free Case Evaluation today!
