Getting into a car accident can be very scary, painful, disorientating and life-changing. But the vast majority of crashes that happen on Miami’s highways and surface streets are not this dramatic. While one or both vehicles might be damaged, everyone involved is unhurt or only suffering from fairly minor injuries.
But whether you are involved in a major wreck, a fender-bender or something in between, there is one thing that’s true: you will almost certainly have to call the police.
911 call is necessary most of the time
Florida law requires someone involved in a collision to report to the police whenever somebody was injured or killed and/or the crash caused $500 or more in damage. That might sound like quite a bit of money, but auto repairs can be very expensive. It doesn’t take much to reach the $500 threshold. But if your crash is minor enough, you can complete a Driver Report of Traffic Crash or Driver Exchange of Information form instead of having an officer come to make an accident report.
The fact is, calling for a police officer is a good idea in most cases. The police report can be a key piece of evidence when you make your insurance claim or go to trial if necessary. Determining fault in a car accident would often come down to a he-said-she-said scenario. Having a neutral observer like an officer investigate the scene and present their findings can help insurers and jurors recognize what really happened.
One piece of the puzzle
A police report indicating that the other driver was at fault is important, but it is no guarantee that you will get your rightful compensation. Your personal injury attorney can help you fight for fair and just damages.