Do Minor Vehicle Accidents Need to Be Reported?
Most people avoid the extra complication of reporting minor vehicle accidents because of all the additional time it takes for seemingly untroublesome mistakes.
Creating a documented police report and having a descriptive conversation with your insurance company may all seem like a waste of effort. However, many undermine the value of keeping track of the evidence and necessary details that should be reported in the case of a minor accident.
Reporting Minor Vehicle Accidents Will Help You
There is no such thing as a non-incident regarding your car when speaking with insurers. No matter how small an accident is, a scrape, a bump, or a minor indentation, you must tell your insurer.
This is often required by law in some states, but regardless, it helps you and the insurer no matter how minuscule the accident may be. Especially in the case of small bumps and grinds when getting into an accident, you may be due compensation for injuries and damages despite there being little to no damage.
Often, soft tissue injuries take a few weeks to crop up, which means that you may discover the injury too late. Sometimes, it can protect you from repercussions that may rare its ugly head later on, especially if other parties lie about what happened after an accident.
The Benefits of Reporting Small Accidents
When you provide information about even the smallest of accidents, it helps reveal evidence. All of this information is relevant, and in the case of an accident report which may happen later, you can be protected from having to pay more than is fair.
Filing a police report is even better, and though this may take extra time out of your day, it will help you in the long run. Not doing this may result in the other party potentially exaggerating claims, seeking excessive damage.
To prevent this from happening, having the police document exactly what occurred can help provide honest and conclusive evidence. This will also benefit you in the instance that an insurance company denies a claim, where the police can back up your statement.
In the worst-case scenario, a lawsuit might be filed against you. Having evidence and information can help prevent you from having to pay huge funds.
Why Not Reporting Might be Illegal
In most states, not reporting a minor car accident can be illegal. For example, criminal charges can occur in some states and can be added to the price of a traffic ticket as well. Especially in the scenario of property damage or personal injury, the individual may face months in jail for not reporting this minor accident.
Some states only require a report if the damage after a small collision exceeds $1000 to $2,500. Providing this information to the insurer will help guard you against committing a criminal offense.
Examples of Small Accidents to Report
Even if it seems minimal, property damage in a car accident can include minor scratches and bumps on vehicles and even small dents in bumpers. Minor collisions may result in medical bills later on if there is an injury that doesn’t show up immediately. The general rule of thumb is to simply report all accidents, even if it doesn’t seem to be worth reporting.
Additional Help on Reporting Minor Vehicle Accidents
There is help if you need to identify whether a small vehicle accident is worth reporting, especially if it isn’t related to a person but rather natural damage. Jacksonville lawyers Fasig and Brooks can supply useful information for future guidance on the matter.
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