Whether you live in a big city or smaller town, car accidents happen. Depending on the nature of the collision, you may think that calling 911 isn’t needed. While it is true that sometimes officers won’t come out for accidents that are minor with no injuries, it’s better to call the police anyway. In some states, it is the law that you call the police in the event of a car accident. It’s normal to be unnerved and shaken up. After all, car accidents can be stressful and result in injuries that need time to heal. With this in mind, never let the other driver convince you to not call the police. It’s in your best interest to do so.
Reporting a car accident begins a chain of events. Firstly, it starts the documentation process and can be used as evidence if you need to submit an insurance claim or lawsuit. Secondly, as stated above, depending on where you live you may be required to call 911 after a car accident. As a car accident lawyer offers, if in doubt, it’s better to call the police and end up not needing them as much as you thought than to look back wishing you had. Police may not be dispatched in each case, but you are fulfilling your legal obligations.
If you or anyone else is injured in the car accident, call 911 right away. This is the quickest way to get emergency medical help on route. Even if you believe your injuries are only minor, they could worsen in the days to follow. You may not recognize the signs of serious injury immediately. For example, whiplash is a common car accident injury that may not present symptoms until hours or days after, and can have lingering effects if medical care is not provided. If you have any of these symptoms while at the scene of the accident, see to it that you receive an examination and treatment as soon as possible.
- Dizziness
- Panic
- Body tenderness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Memory loss
- Loss of consciousness
- General discomfort
- Nausea or vomiting
Ultimately, calling the police for a car accident is in your best interest. And if you need help pursuing compensation from the at-fault driver, consider speaking with a law firm near you, similar to Norris Injury Law. Your lawyer can intervene by advocating for a fair settlement with the insurance company, investigate to uncover contributing factors you had not been aware of, and obtain a copy of the police report, among many other tasks.
When in doubt, always call the police to report a car crash. If any vehicles from the accident are blocking traffic and cannot be moved safely, then you should call 911. If you notice that there is glass, debris, or gasoline on the road that could create hazards for the public and other motorists, inform the 911 operator. The police will know ahead of time what is happening at the scene so they can respond accordingly.