Regardless of whether a car accident is fatal or not, it is always a smart decision to file a police car accident report. As insignificant as it may seem at the time, the police report can be a vital tool during settlement negotiation with your insurance company, during the investigation, and during any ensuing court cases.
With decades of experience, our Louisiana car accident attorneys at Pierce & Shows can help you navigate your way through every step of the car accident claim and trial process. In this blog, we cover all that you need to know about putting a call through to an officer after a car accident.
What to do if you are involved in an accident in Louisiana
Health should come first. Render medical care if you can, or call emergency medical care. Remember to seek medical care first before you think of calling the police.
Once you have made sure everyone around you is fine, then you can call the police.
Additionally, if you have a minimal injury and can move, try to protect the accident scene and take note of the cause of the accident. Photos, videos, and written notes are helpful in this case.
Why you should call the police immediately
Louisiana law requires you to call the police after serious traffic accidents. If the accident is severe and there is damage done to the vehicles, or significant motor vehicle law violations, call an officer. He or she will help prepare a police report about the crash.
Make sure you get the police officer’s name and badge number, as well as the station the police are coming from so you can get your copy of the accident report later.
If you have access to the report number, you’ll also need to document it. The document is your way out when faced with an accident with an accident lawsuit or insurance claim.
What if the accident is minor with no injuries?
Even if no damage is done to any of the vehicles, and no party is injured, it is still important that you involve the police.
No matter how minor it seems, the police officer will help you get things back in order, and the records he takes will come in handy.
Sometimes in major cities, however, police are reluctant to come to the scene of a minor accident. In that case, ensure you exchange contact information and insurance information with the other party.
What information do you need from the third party?
If your accident was minor, there’s a good chance that the police will instruct you to exchange contact with the other party.
Necessary information to exchange includes:
- Names
- Telephone numbers
- Name of the car insurance company
- Address
- License plate number
- Policy number
- Name, address, or telephone number of insurance representative that you should contact about this accident
If you doubt the authenticity of the information the other party is sharing, try calling the driver’s insurance company before the driver drives off. Do this to ensure that the information given is accurate else you may not be able to track them after they must have driven off.
It’s important to note that when you call, only verify the other driver’s coverage; don’t divulge any details on the accident until you have spoken with a car accident attorney.
Contact a Louisiana car accident attorney today
It is very important for the police to be at the scene of an accident, seeing as the investigating officer will help ascertain the situation on ground, and compile a report. So no matter how minor you think the case may be, be sure to give them a call. Then, get in contact with a Louisiana car accident attorney like our team at Pierce & Shows as soon as possible. Contact our office today for a free consultation.
