Auto accidents are a very common occurrence that sometimes results in injury and sometimes doesn't. When an injury has not been incurred, some may not find it necessary to report the incident to the police, especially if no damage was done to the vehicles involved. However, an injury does not have to be recognized at the time of the crash. Some injuries can develop days and even weeks later. It is similar to when you are lifting weights and you wake up the next morning with soreness in your muscles. You didn't feel the pain while you were doing it, but you definitely feel it the day after.
When a non-injury motor vehicle crash occurs, it is important to exchange information with the other driver in case a health issue or vehicle issue does come about later on. However, it is a good idea to go ahead and call the police and listen to what they suggest should be done if no injury or vehicle damage occurred. They may elect to come investigate the crash or may suggest simply exchanging information between drivers.
However, if there was no injury and there was vehicle damage, it is very important to call the police because of insurance purposes. The police must file a report regarding who was at fault in the accident so that the one who was not at fault can turn the report and any other information over to the insurance company. If this is not done, the driver who was not at fault in the accident will have to pay any deductibles associated with their insurance. That is why it is in their best interest to seek payment from the insurance company of the one who was at fault in the accident.
This makes it very important that the insurance companies know who is at fault in order for the repairs to be paid for by the proper party. The most reliable way of learning who was at fault is through the police report. The police report outlines the stories of both drivers, which can determine who was truly at fault in the accident. The report includes any witness accounts that can be very beneficial to the case of the driver who was not at fault.
But again, listening to what the police have to say is very important, but if you absolutely feel that a police report should be filed, you can ask them to send someone and that you will wait for them to arrive. If the impact caused any kind of jerking of the neck or shoulder, then it is important that that be documented in case an injury develops later on as a result of the crash. At other times, it is up to the two parties involved in the crash as far as what to do, but this can be somewhat risky depending on the impact of the crash. Plenty of minor fender benders have turned into a case of whiplash because it doesn't really take much to cause a neck injury even if the car didn't receive a scratch. All it takes is for the vehicle to be hit in the right way for someone to become severely injured.
So use your head when dealing with a non-injury motor vehicle crash situation. It can be a very upsetting experience, so it may seem easy to just walk away, but it is important to evaluate the situation and see if it is necessary to call the police. To be extra cautious, it is a good idea to go ahead and call them and have a record of the incident in case it is needed in the future.
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