We know that people make mistakes, which is why many of us will try to take the high road when we are involved in a car accident. Too often, the person who is hit will simply ask to exchange insurance information with the driver who caused the accident and part ways, rather than waiting for the police. While this is extremely thoughtful, you are probably doing yourself a disservice, as this gives the driver who is at fault the time to come up with a different story than what actually happened. This can mean plenty of headaches in your future as you try to get the money you are owed, as the person at fault will undoubtedly have the support of their insurance company if it means the difference between them having to pay you or not.

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No One Likes To Wait, But It Is Necessary

This is why we always suggest to those who are clearly the victim in an accident to always wait for the police to arrive at the scene before parting ways with the other driver. Having an officer there to take statements will come in handy more than you can imagine in the future as all statements taken are absolutely admissible in court and it is much harder for the other party to fabricate a story that absolves them of blame when 1) you are standing right next to them and 2) they do not have the time to come up with a fake story.

Crash Reports Are A Must

Be sure that after the officer has talked to everyone at the scene, that you request a copy of the accident report. In the off chance that the officer asks to avoid writing up a crash report, you should absolutely not allow that to happen. Make sure you insist that a crash report is drawn up immediately.

In the rare case that you simply cannot wait for the police to arrive after an accident occurs, we suggest you take as many photos of the accidents as possible on your phone. This includes the license plates on all vehicles involved, as well as the resting positions of the vehicles and street signs at the nearest intersections. The more your document, the less chance the other party will have to be able to fabricate an alternate version of the accident that places the blame on you.

Try to keep this post in mind the next time you are involved in a fender bender. On the other hand, if you are struggling with handling a car accident case in which the guilty party is trying to escape the consequences of their actions and you live in the Carlsbad area, call the Law Offices of Donald A. Green today! We may be able to help you with your situation and get you the settlement you are hoping to receive.