You never saw it coming.
As perhaps the worst feeling you can experience behind the wheel of a car, having another car hit you, without you first being able to react, can lead to a bewildering level of frustration.
Welcome to the type of car accident knowns as the side swipe.
A side swipe accident occurs when one vehicle moves out of its lane and hits the side of a second vehicle moving in the same direction. This type of accident unfolds on every type of road and highway, but it occurs the most on roads and highways where vehicles travel at high speeds. Reasons for the car side swipe accident include distraction, loss of vehicle control, and poor driving skills. A vehicle can also side swipe you because it was side swiped by another car. This can happen on highways that have more than two lanes.
Do you need to file a police report with your insurance company to account for the damage caused by a side swipe accident? The answer is you must gather evidence on your own for when there is no police report in a side swipe accident.
When You Do Not Need a Police Report
The amount of damage caused by a side swipe accident is directly linked to answering the question, do you need to call a law enforcement agency to report the accident. If the accident occurred on a crowded two lane road right before you came to a stop, then the damage caused by the other vehicle might be low enough to avoid interacting with law enforcement. There also should not be any injuries because when someone gets hurt in any type of auto accident, the police must respond to determine fault and manage the accident scene.
Regardless of the extent of damage to your vehicle, it is typically a good idea to call the closest police department. The officer responding to your call might consider the crash not significant enough to warrant a visit to the sight of the accident. If that is the case, you will need to collect the contact and insurance information from the driver who side swiped your car.
Playing the Role of Detective
If you are responsible for collecting evidence to present for an insurance claim, make sure to focus your attention on collecting physical evidence. The driver who side swiped you might have hit a pothole, which caused his or her car to veer suddenly to the left. You should take photos of the accident scene, with several shots taken of the road condition. Shoot several images of the weather conditions, which can play a huge role in triggering a side swipe crash. Areas of the United States that experience high wind events endure many side swipe vehicle accidents.
Consult with a Lawyer
A vehicle accident of any kind can quickly turn into a messy legal affair. Reduce the amount of stress generated because of a legal battle by speaking with a highly skilled personal injury attorney who can also help you navigate the legal land mines present during the insurance claim process.
