If you are in a severe auto accident and someone involved is obviously seriously injured, it is expected that someone will call 911 and that the police will shortly arrive at the scene of the accident along with emergency medical personnel and possibly firefighters. In such a situation, the police will generally begin speaking with people at the scene and investigating the crash. However, if calling 911 does not seem to be absolutely necessary, you may wonder whether it is necessary for you to call the police to the scene.
While it is not always required to wait for police at the scene of an accident, it is generally wise to do so. The following are only some reasons why waiting for law enforcement is a good idea.
Police can Help Determine Liability
When police arrive on the scene, one of their jobs is to determine whether any drivers involved violated the law and to issue citations for such violations. For example, if you were hit by a drunk driver, the police can perform field sobriety test or breath tests to confirm the driver is intoxicated and then can place the driver under arrest so they can be charged with DWI. Such citations can be used in a later legal claim to help prove that the other party was at fault and should be liable for all of your accident-related losses.
Insurance Companies May Review the Police Report
Police will also write up an accident report that often contains their opinion on what happened and who caused the collision. While this report is not the final say, it can be used to negotiate a settlement with the at-fault party and may be reviewed by insurance companies.
The Law May Require You to Report the Accident
Michigan law requires you to report an accident “immediately” if any of the following resulted from the crash:
-At least $1,000 or property damage
-Injury to a person
-Death of a person
While you do have the option of going to a police station to report the collision, again it can be beneficial to have police come to the scene.
Consult with an Experienced Michigan Car Accident Attorney for Free Today
At Michigan Injury Lawyers, we have helped many injured accident victims receive compensation for their losses. Please call 313-GET-HELP for a free consultation with our skilled auto accident lawyers today.
1http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(qtvkzuvdg0vigavqqijzfmzl))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-300-1949-VI-DRIVING-WHILE-INTOXICATED-AND-RECKLESS-DRIVING
2http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(urywyq0pad4oubkb1fs3nmzb))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-257-618