Three Parties Who Need To Know About Your Auto Accident
As the victim of a car accident, you need to report your accident to the right parties both as a legal requirement and as part of your claim process. There may be many interested parties in your accident, but the following three must know about the crash.
The Police
The police should be the first people to hear about your auto accident. In fact, the law requires those who are involved in auto accidents to stay at the scene of the crime until the police arrive. An exception is only if you have to leave the scene for medical purposes. Otherwise, fleeing the accident scene can get you into legal trouble.
Apart from it being a legal requirement, you also need to inform the police about the accident so that they can generate a police report. The police report will contain facts about the accident, such as date and time, as well as preliminary liability determination. You can use the police report to support your claim when pursuing your auto accident damages.
The Insurance Company
Your auto insurance company also needs to know about your auto accident. There are two main reasons for this. First, most auto insurance policies require you to inform that carrier about an accident, even if you don't intend to file a claim. Thus, you will be in violation of the policy if you don't report the accident.
Secondly, informing the carrier about the accident also helps you kick start the claim process. Don't forget that there may be a limit on how long you have to report the accident, and letting the period expire might complicate your claim process. This is because a late report makes it difficult to investigate the accident.
The DMV
Lastly, you may also need to inform the department of motor vehicles (DMV); whether or not this is the case depends on your state laws. There are states where the DMV is tasked with tracking and recording auto accidents within their jurisdictions.
Note that report to the DMV, assuming it's applicable in your state, is a legal requirement. Thus, failure to make the report might attract legal repercussions, such as the suspension of the driving license.
Once you have reported your accident to the relevant authorities, consult an auto accident lawyer to evaluate your case and advise you on the way forward. Hopefully, your case won't be too complicated and you will get the compensation you deserve early enough. If you have other questions about who to talk to, you might ask questions from accident and personal injury attorneys like Palmetto Injury Lawyers.
