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The Importance of Police Reports After a Car Accident
After you were involved in a car accident, you may be wondering whether you need to file a police report. Even seemingly minor car accidents may benefit from the filing of a police report. However, depending on the details of your case, you may be required to file a car accident report with the police.
Here is more about when car accident police reports need to be filed in North Carolina and how these car accident police reports could provide crucial evidence to support your insurance and civil claims.
When Are You Required to File a Car Accident Report in North Carolina?
In the aftermath of your car accident, you may be wondering whether you need to call emergency responders and police to the scene. Under North Carolina General Statutes section 20-166.1, you are only legally required to report an accident to the police if:
- There is property damage of $1,000 or more
- Someone has been seriously injured or killed
- The driver hits an unintended or parked vehicle on the street or highway
- If there is property damage of any dollar amount to a car stopped during a drunk driving offense
If your accident does not involve one of these situations, you are under no legal obligation to report your accident to the police. With that being said, reporting your car accident to the police, whether you are obligated to or not, could help you obtain valuable evidence to support your case.
Benefits of Filing a Police Report After a Car Accident
When you report your car accidents to the police, law enforcement officials will document the accident in detail. There will be specific pieces of information included in the accident report, some of which could include:
- How the accident occurred
- Any injuries victims sustained
- Who the liable party is
- All involved parties contact information
- The vehicle makes and models
- Car insurance information
- The date and time of the accident
These are just a few of the details included in North Carolina car accident police reports. Once you obtain a copy of your police report, this information can be used as evidence to support your right to financial compensation from the liable party.
The insurance company and civil courts are likely to find the police report information credible. If your car accident police report determines another party is at fault for the accident, this could prove to be invaluable evidence to prove negligence in your case
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in North Carolina
If you hope to recover maximum compensation for your suffering, your attorney will need to provide compelling evidence that proves the defendant’s liability. Car accident police reports could provide valuable evidence to support your case.
Your experienced Raleigh car accident lawyer can help you obtain copies of these reports and other crucial evidence to get justice for your damages. Contact Nagle & Associates, P.A. to schedule your no-cost, risk-free consultation today. Complete our quick contact form or give our office a call at (800) 411-1583 to get started.