If you’ve been in a crash in Marietta, Georgia, you should always report your car accident to the police. If you later need to make a personal injury claim, make an insurance claim, or seek damages from negligent parties, an accident report can be incredibly helpful to making a claim. In fact, your car insurance company may require a crash report when making your claim. Amanda Hall Injury Law are car accident attorneys in Marietta, Georgia who may be able to assist you in reporting an accident to police or help you with understanding your police report and your rights under the law. Georgia law encourages all drivers to report all accidents to the police. However, you may be legally required to report an accident if:

• Anyone was hurt or killed in the accident
• Property damage exceeds $500
• The insurance company requires a crash report
• The city in which you live requires a crash report

Even if you think no one was injured in the accident and that damage is less than $500, you should still report the accident to police. It can sometimes be difficult to estimate the value of damages at the scene of the accident. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent at the accident scene. After a crash, adrenaline may be running high and some injuries may not be felt. Some injuries, like traumatic brain injury, are not always apparent at the scene of a crash. If you don’t report the accident and it turns out damages exceeded $500 or someone later learns that they suffered a mild traumatic brain injury, whiplash, or post-traumatic stress disorder from the accident, you may have a difficult time making a claim or proving fault without a police report. The case would then be a “he said she said” case, which could be difficult to untangle.

The takeaway? Always protect your rights. Always call the police after a crash.

If you’ve been in a car accident in Marietta, Georgia and have questions about your rights, consider speaking to Amanda Hall Injury Law, car accident attorneys today. Our firm can review your police report, hold negligent parties accountable, and help you seek damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. However, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law. Contact Amanda Hall Injury Law today to learn more.

Sometimes police won’t come to the scene of a crash. If you don’t have a crash report, there are still steps you can take to protect your rights. Below is more information about how you can obtain a crash report and protect yourself if for some reason you cannot file a crash report at the accident scene.

How to Obtain Your Accident Report in Marietta, Georgia

When making a claim with your insurance company or when speaking to your personal injury lawyer about your car accident in Marietta, Georgia, it can be helpful to have a copy of your accident report. When meeting with Amanda Hall Injury Law, car accident lawyers in Marietta, Georgia, you are encouraged to bring a copy of your accident report to your free initial consultation. Obtaining a copy of your crash report shouldn’t be difficult. You can request a copy of the report through making a request through the Crash Reporting Unit at the Georgia Department of Transportation. If you are having trouble obtaining a report, Amanda Hall Injury Law, car accident lawyers in Marietta, Georgia may be able to help you.

There are certain circumstances where individuals may not have a crash report. In the case of minor accidents that occur on private property, parking lots, or garages, the police may not come to the scene of the accident. What can you do in these cases?

• You can still file a crash report by going to the police station. Always file a report, even if police cannot go to the scene of the crash for some reason.
• Gather contact information of all parties involved. Get the insurance information, names, car make, model, year, and license plate number, as well as any other relevant information at the scene of the crash. If other people witnessed the accident, get their names and contact information as well.
• Take photos. Take photos of the accident scene, the context in which the crash took place, and also take photos of the damage to your car. One mistake individuals make when taking photos is that they focus on the damage to their vehicle and fail to take photos of the wider context in which the accident took place.
• Contact landlords and property owners and ask if they have cameras. A camera may have recorded the accident as it took place. Many private parking lots, garages, and driveways have closed circuit television security systems. Owners may be able to provide you with footage of the accident.

If you don’t have a police report after a car accident, don’t despair. You may still have a strong personal injury case. Amanda Hall Injury Law are car accident lawyers in Marietta, Georgia who may be able to help you with your claim and assist you with gathering the documentation you need to file an insurance claim or to seek damages from negligent parties.

Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident

If you’ve been in a car accident, your first step should be to call the police and make a crash report. Next, you should seek medical attention for any injuries you might have. Even if you think you have no injuries, it might be wise to follow up with your doctor anyway, and be sure to follow any medical advice you are given. Finally, consider speaking to the car accident lawyers in Marietta, Georgia at Amanda Hall Injury Law. Our firm may be able to help you seek damages for your lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. You may only have a limited amount of time to seek a claim. Contact our firm today to protect your rights and learn more.