Do you really need police for a fender bender?
It’s a question any resident of Connecticut may ask themselves if they get into a minor crash. While you may think that you can get away without having to call the police onto the scene, there are a few things you should know before making that decision.
FindLaw states that the way you handle a minor collision should actually be similar to how you would handle a more major collision. Similar steps should be taken in regard to injury and risk assessment, as well as making sure to clear the roadway after you ensure no one is too injured and the cars can be moved safely.
But what next? In many cases, if an accident is minor enough, people will try to negotiate on the roadside. You may not want to deal with the hassle of filing a police report or sitting there waiting when you have other places to be, especially if everyone seems to be fine. But you may not be as fine as you think.
In many cases, the effects of an accident won’t show up until later. You could be suffering from whiplash without even knowing it, or the person you hit could start complaining about pain after you have both decided to leave police out of the situation. If that happens, you may have forsaken your ability to properly defend yourself from any insurance claims if the other party was injured, or from making insurance claims if you were the party injured.
For this reason, not only is it important to contact police to register the situation properly. It’s also important to contact an attorney quickly, especially if insurance matters will be involved.
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