Calling The Atlanta Police Department After A Car Accident
Atlanta auto accident lawyers are well-versed in vehicle collisions.
However, not all accident victims are.
Immediately following an accident, you'll probably have a ton of questions on your mind.
Do you need to dial 911? Anybody hurt? Do we require an ambulance for immediate medical care?
However, what if it takes them longer than normal for Atlanta Police to respond?
The first, and perhaps most difficult, thing you must do following a car accident is maintain your composure.
You'll survive a traffic accident if you contact the police to the site. Traffic accidents happen all the time.
If you are in a car accident in Atlanta, phone the Atlanta Police Department (APD) so they can get to the site and document the collision.
To submit a claim for reimbursement and damages with an insurance company, the majority of them demand an accident report. Your accident report will therefore be crucial to your case if you submit a personal injury claim.
The significance of contacting the Atlanta police and requesting an accident report is covered in the material that follows.
The 3 Things You Always Need To Do After An Accident
There are three things that everyone should do following a car collision, but before we discuss calling the police, let's discuss them.
These measures will safeguard both your physical and financial well-being.
You must dial 911 as soon as possible.
The police will arrive at the spot, fully investigate the scene of the collision, and create an accident report.
The police will look for any injuries and begin to piece together what took place.
In addition to speaking with the other driver, they will interview any witnesses and interview you.
Even photos of the crash site will probably be taken in case the accident reconstructionist subsequently requires them.
Even if you don't need to go to the hospital, the next thing you should do is seek medical attention.
Due to the adrenaline rush you'll experience shortly after the collision, you can't tell if you've been harmed.
You can have soft tissue injuries like whiplash or internal ailments like a concussion.
These can result in chronic problems if untreated.
After seeing a doctor, you need to consult a personal injury attorney.
Speak with a qualified Atlanta auto accident attorney.
They will review the specifics of your accident to see whether you have a case and then get in touch with the insurance provider.
Obtaining Your Police Report
Thankfully, Atlanta has made it simple to get a police report when you or your attorney are prepared.
The City of Atlanta and www.BuyCrash.com have collaborated to make it possible for drivers to get police reports.
You must input your name, the crash date, the accident location, and your vehicle identification number to obtain your online report (VIN).
The report can be accessed for a price.
You can acquire your police report by calling the Atlanta Police Department Central Records Unit at (404) 546-7461 if you don't want to go online.
It could take up to five business days following the accident for your accident report to become available.
The officer who wrote the accident report should be contacted first if you have any queries.
Call (404) 546-6873 to reach APD Public Affairs for assistance in finding the reporting officer.
At the scene of the accident, you should jot down the name of the reporting officer so you can later provide it.
In order to know which police department to contact for your accident report, you should also note the police agency the officer represents, such as Atlanta Police vs. Fulton County.
Why Are Police Accident Reports Important for My Car Accident Claim?
You may encounter difficulties filing an insurance claim if the police fail to arrive at the scene or create an accident report.
The reckless motorist can deny responsibility in the absence of a police accident record.
Due to the difficulty in determining who was at fault for the accident, insurance companies may end up rejecting claims.
You will be required to file a personal injury lawsuit and appear in court if you feel you weren't at fault for the accident but nonetheless sustained losses.
This will postpone your ability to recoup financially and increase the difficulty and expense of handling your auto accident claims.
Because it's always better to be safe than sorry, you should always call the police, even in accidents that don't result in injuries.
Reporting An Accident If Police Aren’t Called To The Scene
For your own use, you can still file an accident report with the Georgia Department of Transportation if the police aren't summoned or don't arrive at the scene.
The Atlanta Police Department offers the SR-13 form, which may be found on the city's non-emergency ATL311 website, to drivers involved in collisions where the police do not arrive.
Include facts regarding the collision, including the location of the accident, the drivers and cars involved, as well as additional information, when filling out the form.
However, a lot of personal injury lawyers and insurance professionals are worried that the SR-13 form isn't a good enough replacement for a police report to identify fault following an accident.
Insurance companies want to prevent the "he said, she said" scenario, but having a motorist fill out an accident report does not solve it.
A police accident report that is objective should always be obtained by calling the police to the scene.
Why Did Atlanta Police Stop Responding to Non-Injury Car Accidents?
The Atlanta police instituted a policy that said that officers wouldn't attend non-injury car accidents during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Accidents causing injuries weren't covered by this policy.
Although the policy has subsequently been changed, police still adhere to social distancing rules and try to avoid direct interaction with the public when responding to non-injury traffic accidents.
To engage in safe social distancing techniques, Atlanta police officers will dress in personal protection equipment (PPE), such as gloves and masks.
The Department of Motor Vehicles reports that only around 100 of Atlanta's monthly average of 1,100 traffic incidents result in serious injuries.
The vast majority of the remaining 1,000 monthly accidents solely result in private property damage.
Contact A Car Accident Lawyer In Atlanta Today
You should contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible if you were recently involved in an Atlanta vehicle accident but the police weren't called and you don't have a police accident report.
Auto accident lawyers will significantly impact the outcome of an insurance claim or a personal injury case, particularly if there is no accident record.
Having competent legal counsel will ensure that you receive compensation for property damage and medical expenses.
Additionally, it will make sure an insurance adjuster won't try to minimize your claim.
You may make sure you receive full compensation for your injuries following your vehicle accident by getting in touch with the Atlanta personal injury attorneys at The Mabra Law Firm.
Your accident injury claim is significantly more likely to result favorably.
Schedule your Free Consultation with The Mabra Law Firm right away.