Why You Should Always Call Police After a Crash

When a victim has been involved in a car accident, they often aren’t sure what steps they should take immediately following the accident. The first step should be attending to anyone who is injured and moving the vehicles out of the way of traffic and further harm. If the crash was a minor one, the drivers often choose to just exchange insurance information without contacting law enforcement. However, by not notifying the police, a victim may be doing more harm to their case than they realize.

As a leading Memphis car accident lawyer might tell you, the following steps should be taken as soon as possible after an accident. If you don’t understand these steps or failed to take them, call Patterson Bray, to speak with a car accident attorney in Memphis, Tennessee.

One of the most common occurrences after a crash is that there is a delay of symptoms of any injuries the victim may have. This is due to the adrenaline rush that many people involved in accidents have. Adrenaline is a hormone that is released into the bloodstream whenever we experience a stressful or frightening event – like a car crash. Adrenaline causes the pupils to dilate and the heart rate to increase, however, it also can reduce any pain that injuries cause.

It isn’t until a few hours later, once the victim has calmed down and the adrenaline has subsided that the symptoms of the injury begin to present themselves. If the victim didn’t call the police to the accident site, how do they prove they were injured in the accident? The police report – had there been one – would have confirmed all the details of the accident and would have been a very strong piece of evidence that your Memphis car accident attorney could use.

Written Account of the Crash

When a police officer arrives at the scene of the crash, they provide a formal and objective account of the accident that none of the drivers involved in the accident can do. The report will document the details, as well as witness statements, and often offers a determination of which driver is at fault. Without the police report, both drivers will give their own versions of events to their insurance companies, likely each driver blaming the other for the crash. These differences in accident versions could really put a roadblock up into enabling the rightful victim from collecting all the medical expenses, loss of income, compensation for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and more that they may be legally entitled to.

Vehicle Damage

Just like injuries to victims, not all vehicle damage is evident immediately following an accident. It might appear that there are only a few dents here and there, but the impact of the crash could damage electronic systems in the vehicle, cause a crack in the frame, or other internal damage that can’t be seen but could result in thousands in repairs. However, if the victim does not have a police report, how do they, or their Memphis, Tennessee car accident attorneys prove that the damage was caused by the accident

Call the Police

As you can see, it is critical to any car accident case that there is a formal police report of the crash issued. If you have been involved in an accident, call the police to the scene right away. After you have called the police, and sought medical attention, make sure you call a Memphis car accident attorney from Patterson Bray to see what your legal options may be.