If you are injured in a car accident, is it always necessary to file a police report? The simple answer is no. However, if you or someone else is injured, then it is not only a good idea, but it is required by law. Read on to learn the basics about filing police reports when an accident involves injury, and then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
The Law in California About Filing a Police Report
In the state of California, if you are the driver in an accident in which someone is injured or killed, whether a driver or pedestrian – you are required by law to contact either the local police or the highway patrol. You have 24 hours to make a written report of the accident. Additionally, if you are involved in an accident in which someone was injured, or property damage was more than $1,000, then you have ten days to file an accident report with the DMV.
How to File a Car Accident Report
Contact the local police department in the city in which the accident occurred. If you were on the highway, contact the California Highway Patrol. If you are not sure whom to call, you can call either of these parties and they can help you determine whom to make the report to. You can make your DMV report online via the SR1 form that can be downloaded from their website.
Potential Consequences of Not Filing a Police Report
Now you may wonder: if I am required to file a police report, that must mean there is a consequence for not doing so. What is that consequence? The best possible outcome is that you are not able to recoup money for your damages or your injuries after the car accident. Depending on the extent of your damages and/or injuries, this can be a very bad outcome – and it is the best possible outcome.
The worst outcome is that you could lose your driver’s license, pay fines, and even go to jail. That is on top of not being able to recover damages for your car accident.
Let an Attorney Help You Through This Process
As you can see, the potential downside to not following the law can be significant. If you want to assure that you do not end up in jail for failure to file a police report, and you want to maximize your chances of getting any compensation you are owed, we recommend you contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker now at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
