If you are involved in an accident, then one of your first steps immediately after is to contact the police—no matter the seriousness or severity of the accident.
There are several reasons for this recommendation, but the most important is that the police will fill out a report about what happened.
The police officer can serve as a neutral third party who is reporting on the accident as they have observed it, which can serve to be great evidence for your personal injury case.
However, it is not necessary to have a police report to file a personal injury claim. If you do not have a police report, then your car accident lawyer can help you gather other evidence that will help you prove your personal injury case.
What the Police Report Provides
While it is not necessary to have a police report, they can be helpful in a personal injury case because they provide a wide variety of information about the accident, which can include:
- Contact information about the other driver
- Insurance information
- Potential witnesses and their contact information
- Weather conditions or other conditions that may have contributed to the accident
- A diagram of the accident
- The officer’s personal observations at the scene, including whether there were skid marks or other debris in the road
The police officer who filled out the report can also be a valuable witness in your case. He or she may be called to testify to explain what their report shows and give their personal impressions of what happened that day.
Read more about the role of police reports in car accidents and other personal injury cases.
Other Types of Evidence in a Car Accident
You do not necessarily need a police report in your personal injury case because there are other types of evidence that you can use to prove your case. For example, you can obtain information about witnesses and get statements from them without involving the police. You may just need to talk to these people on your own at the scene, if you are able.
Your personal recollection of the accident will be very important in your case. Write down details of the accident as soon as you can afterwards so you can reference that writing later. Your memory will not always be as good as it was right after the accident.
If you take pictures of the damages to your vehicle and the injuries that you sustained, that will also be helpful evidence in your car accident case. In fact, any documentation that you can provide of your damages will be important.
This could also include medical records and employment records that show your missed time at work, and estimates to fix your vehicle.
Read: 5 Tricks Insurance Companies Use in Car Accident Cases
Repair the Damage with a West Palm Beach Auto Accident Attorney
Each case is different, but every accident is damaging in some way. Therefore, the evidence that you present to the court will vary as well…but a police report is important. Your West Palm Beach auto accident attorney can help you gather evidence that will be beneficial to you and your case.
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