Car accidents are traumatic events that are troublesome for many reasons. Many people believe they can resolve the matter without police, but this can often lead to complications, especially when car accident claims are being made. Whether or not you are at fault, a police report will benefit you. Here’s why.
Your risk of being physically injured or developing an injury after the accident is extremely high. You will need a police report if you have to make a compensation claim for your injuries.
Sustained damage to property. Most vehicles have considerable damage after an accident.
And, probably the most important one, the legal implications of a car accident. Whether or not you are liable for the damages or injuries caused, dealing with car insurance companies and other lawyers can become a nightmare in the blink of an eye.
For these reasons and many more, it is important to file a police report following your car accident. Learn here how to make one and why it is important to do so legally.
What Is a Police Report?
A police report is a document that is confected by the police that explains in detail the events surrounding your accident. The parties involved endured damage, and other details such as time, date, and where the accident happened are all included in police reports. Depending on the complexity of the accident, its length may vary.
When you are involved in an accident, the police should be called immediately or no later than 28 days after the accident. If the police attend the scene they will gather information, and they may give you a police event number at the scene, or you can gain this by calling the police station closest to where the accident happened. If the police do not attend the scene, you can go to a police station and file a report. It is important to know that you can not file a report online if you have sustained injuries from the accident. Once you file a report, you are given a police event number, which can be useful for future claims.
Why Should You File a Police Report?
There are many motives why you should file a police report. Firstly, it has an official character, which means it is useful for any legal affairs you may have to mingle with after your accident. It is done by a third party that was not involved in your accident, implying a greater degree of trustworthiness to the testimonies therein.
Secondly, when you endure injuries that are a direct consequence of your accident, you can officially register their extent and eliminate the chance of third parties faking injuries to obtain economic benefits from the accident.
Thirdly, if your property receives any form of damage, you have an official document that backs it up. At a glance, your vehicle might not have suffered considerable damage. Yet, it sometimes happens that in later instances, you discover that your vehicle took a greater toll than what you had originally expected. Having this documented helps when making a claim for damages.
Reasons Why You Need Legal Advice for These Scenarios.
For these situations, legal advice can be useful for you:
- There is a liability dispute surrounding the accident
- You need to negotiate with insurance companies
- Some third party has some form of legal responsibility regarding the accident
- Other disputes
Contact us at 1300 695 299 for more information about what to do in the case of car accidents.
