We always tell our car accident victims that there’s three things they need to do immediately following their car accident. The first thing they need to do is make sure they call 911. The police will perform a thorough investigation of the accident scene and prepare the police report. They will also make sure an ambulance comes to take any injured victims to the emergency room. The second thing you need to do is go to the emergency room and seek medical treatment. The only way for your Greenville car accident lawyer to prove that you were hurt is to submit a copy of your medical records.
The third thing you need to do once you’ve made sure that you’re physically OK it’s called one of our Greenville injury lawyers. This way, they can review your case and give you an idea of whether you have a possible claim for damages. They can also help you file your initial insurance claim so that you have a higher chance of getting it approved.
Your Greenville Car Accident Lawyer Explains Why the Police Report Is Important
Here, we will discuss why the first step after your car accident is so important. If you fail to call 911, not only violating the laws in South Carolina, but you’re also making your Greenville injury lawyers job nearly impossible to prove your case. Here, we will discuss why the information in the police report is so important to your lawsuit.
We will also explain briefly why much of the information in the police report is not available to your Greenville car accident lawyer. Sadly, much of this information will be forever lost since nobody arrived at the scene to take down witness statements, take photographs, or speak to the drivers individually. If you still have questions about your car accident case, feel free to contact our office directly. We offer all clients a free, initial consultation which gives you the chance to ask any questions you may have and have a seasoned attorney evaluate your case.
What Will the Police Do When they Arrive at the Scene?
When the police arrive at the accident scene, they’re going to take pictures of the damaged vehicles as well as the road conditions. They will also speak to both of the drivers and get an official each one. They will also get a copy of both drivers licenses, registrations, and insurance policies.
Much more importantly than the drivers’ statements, the police officers will get statements from any eyewitnesses to the crash and find out what they saw. They will also get their contact information in case they need to follow up with questions down the road.
Finally, they will get a chance to describe the appearance and attitude of both drivers. If you never called the police and found out the other driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash, your Greenville car accident lawyer won’t be able to introduce this evidence in court. When the police are done with their investigation, they will put all of their findings into the police report. This police report will be the biggest asset to your Greenville injury attorneys when trying to prove your case.
Why is the Word of the Police Officer So Important?
You have to understand, if the police never came out to do an investigation of the accident, it will be your word against the other driver’s. This usually means that whoever gets to issue their statement to the insurance company first has the benefit of the doubt. The reason this is unfair is because the victim usually suffers the most physical injuries. If your physical injuries are severe, you won’t have time to focus on getting your claim filed right away. Your only option at that point, would be to have a Greenville car accident attorney try and search for some of this information in other ways.
Aside from the information in the police officers report, it is a testimony of the police officers that will help prove your case analysis. No one will doubt the police report information. Any information the police gather and then report on at trial will be considered gospel by the court and any jury members if applicable.
What Kind of Information is Contained in the Police Report?
Much of the information that will end up in the police report is information that nobody else will have access to. The only thing the drivers have is their word against the others. If they happen to have had a passenger in the car, then they may have a passenger willing to make a statement to defend them. In a court of law, nothing is more important than an unbiased statement and it doesn’t get much more unbiased than a police report.
Some of the information contained in the police report will include the following:
- names and contact information for both drivers
- the drivers’ license, registration, and insurance information
- a statement made by the drivers if applicable
- pictures of the damaged vehicles
- pictures of the accident scene including any skid marks or glass
- statements made by any eyewitnesses to the crash
- contact information for these eyewitnesses
- description of the road conditions
- confirmation if any arrests were made for drunk driving or if any other tickets were issued at the crash scene.
As you can see, very little if any of this information can be gathered by your Greenville car accident lawyer on their own. This information is crucial to your case, and without it you’re making your attorney’s job much harder than it has to be.
Contact a Greenville Injury Attorney Right Away
If you or your loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you may have a claim for legal damages. The only way to know for sure is to contact one of our Greenville injury attorneys right away. Our attorneys will investigate your case, review what information you have, and help decide if it’s worth taking your case. We suggest you call our office as soon as possible so you can schedule your free, initial consultation.
