After a car accident in Dallas, it is important to always call 911. Whether or not they send an officer out to take a police report, you should urge them to do so for your records with the insurance company. The reason being is a police report will help clarify any issues with what happened and correctly put the at-fault party in their place where they belong on an official police report.
In Texas, it is required of you to file a police report if someone is injured or deceased after the car accident or if they the resulting property damage from the accident exceeds $1,000. While it may be difficult to determine the initial property damage amount after an accident, injuries after an accident can be just as tricky. Oftentimes you may not feel any pain for the first few hours or days after an accident. If you would feel more comfortable filing a police report immediately because you know you’re not at-fault, you should definitely file a police report.
Failure to Report an Accident in Texas Can Be Costly
Failing to report an accident may call for a fine up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment. While your property damage may be the biggest concern for you initially, lasting injuries you may not feel right away will be your biggest concern in the coming days. You need to secure a police report, then call our Dallas car accident lawyers at Reyes Browne.
Even if the other driver is offering to pay you directly to not report an accident, you can never be too careful when it comes to an accident. While they may give you a fake phone number, an expired insurance card, or completely stop responding to you when you ask for compensation for your property damage and bodily injuries.
Having an officer on the scene taking notes for when he or she goes back to the station to write up the official report is going to bode better in your favor should you have any injuries. Collecting statements from both parties and separate witnesses, the officer will formulate what happened at the accident on their worksheet to later input into their report. The information the officer will obtain are typically more specific and detailed than what the average commuter would think to get. VIN numbers, insurance information, photos of the accident, and phone numbers of witnesses are all important when it comes to getting the proper compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Get a 5-Star Injury Lawyer in Your Corner
While some insurance companies will try to dispute a police report, it is less likely their efforts to amend the report will be successful when it’s been completed. However, without a police report, the insurance company can deny your claim placing fault upon you due to the word of their client. In a word vs. word scenario, you may not win. This is the importance of a police report. Should you have any more questions about police reports, or to obtain a police report after a car accident, call our staff now to answer any and all questions you may have at (214) 526-7900.
