The Importance of a Police Report for Your Car Accident Claim in Florida
Being in a car accident can be a troubling occurrence in anyone’s life. And the crucial moments following the accident can be a daunting and confusing time, especially if you haven’t been there before, you suffered any type of a severe injury, or even damage to your vehicle. However, during these crucial moments, it is vital to think about the future – how this incident may affect you in the long term and whether you are in a position to file a personal injury claim or not. Regardless of what the situation might be, one of the most important things you should do, is to call the police and have a police report taken – especially if you were injured or suffered any property damage during the incident. With any car accident claim in Florida, the law state that you must inform the police of an accident if any of the following conditions apply.
· Anyone has been hurt or injured.
· There is damage to either car or any other property that exceeds $500.
· The accident took place on public property.
However, if the accident took place on private property, meaning someone’s driveway or a closed area of their front yard, then you do not have to inform the police by law. In some scenarios, it may be difficult to tell what exactly private property is and what is not – for instance, the parking lot of a store or strip mall may actually be private property, despite its use in a public sphere. Regardless of this, many motorists will still often disregard the need for a police report, however according to Dade City personal injury lawyer, Anissa K. Morris, Esq. in the event you suffered any injuries or property damage, and will be seeking compensation, a police report is vital to getting the justice you deserve. While it is definitely still possible to file a caraccident claim in Florida without a police report, even a top-flight attorney, like Dade City personal injury lawyer Anissa Morris, will find it difficult to prove the other party’s negligence without one.
The most important reason to have a police report taken at the scene of a car accident is that it provides both parties with an impartial assessment of the incident. After a car accident, especially a severe one, you might be shaken or worried, and be unable to completely recall all the details of the accident right away and you might remember something once you have left the scene. Often times, both parties will leave the scene agreeing that the incident was no one’s specific fault and that the damage may not have been severe enough to document, however, once they leave the scene one party may decide to file a car accident in claim in Florida this is quite common and motorists will often damage their car somewhere else, and claim the previous party is responsible for a large amount of damages – turning the entire situation into a “he-said, she-said” war of words. Having a police officer’s presence on-site, immediately following the accident, will allow him or her to document the injuries and damage, right after it happened – making it impossible for one party to claim false damages. If someone tries to change their story, the police report acts as the arbiter.
Also, according to Dade City personal injury lawyer, Anissa Morris, if you are looking to file a personal injury claim in Florida due to injuries or damages you might have suffered, having an officer on-site can help in other ways as well. If when the police officer arrives, and the negligent party may be trying to downplay their negligence, and there are no witnesses available – a police officer can use their power and influence, to get CCTV camera footage from nearby stores and businesses that may have been filming in the area. In many of her cases, Dade City personal injury lawyer, Anissa Morris, has been able to use security camera footage from the scene in order to prove the other party’s negligence and recoup even higher damages for her client. In the event of a personal injury claim, the police report will be submitted to the insurance company in order to validate the claims you are making – a police report looks much better than your simple claim on its own.
For more information on filing a car accident claim in Florida, or other types of a personal injury claim, contact Anissa K. Morris, Esq. and her team at Spinner Law Firm today.
