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Why Is It Important to Report a Wreck to the Highway Patrol or Local Police?

Motor Vehicle Law & Statistics , , , ,

First and foremost for accountability when it comes time to be reimbursed for your property damage or personal injuries.  Yes, this essentially equates to insurance purposes. The person that causes the collision may be apologetic and a “really nice person” at the scene but a couple days later have a change of heart and not be so forthcoming with their admission of liability.   Therefore the primary reason is to ensure that the at fault, or sole contributor, that admits to being inattentive or distracted is memorialized by the reporting South Carolina Highway Patrol or local authorities. The primary goal of any insurance company is to protect their insured and if their insured said it was not their fault, the property damage on your car or medical treatment you incurred is not going to be reimbursed anytime soon, if at all.

Secondly, if this is a serious offense and someone is driving on the roadways under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they need to be stopped! Hopefully, no one is seriously injured and by helping this person realize the gravity of their actions, you may save lives down the road.

Thirdly, you have no idea the true impact this collision will have on any property damage to your car or any personal injuries to your person. (no pun intended). Your adrenaline is pumping, so you feel no pain initially. Or the frame of your car is bent but you don’t realize that until you pull off and the vehicle drives crooked. Too late. You let that “nice person” go with a handshake and a smile. That’s okay, I am sure you have a couple thousand dollars lying around to repair your car and medical expenses.

A few tips if you are in an accident, from both a personal injury lawyer and person that has been in two accidents (neither of which were his fault):

  • Call 911 or *HP immediately, regardless of severity. If not life threatening tell the operator and explain the details. Those calls are recorded by the way;
  • Take pictures of the property damage with your fancy phone or at the very least make a mental note;
  • Make sure to get any contact information from any witnesses, especially if they do not have time to stick around for the reporting officer. They can still be helpful but not if you don’t know how to get in touch with them. It would be better if they could stick around and talk to the officer;
  • If the other party tries to leave the scenemake every effort to get their license tag, vehicle description and/or notify the 911 operator. License tags are usually only 6 characters. You can remember that;
  • If you feel any pain at all, notify the reporting officer and go get checked out when the ambulance, or EMS comes out. Otherwise, you know what the insurance company for the at fault driver will say?  “Obviously you were not hurt because you did not seek immediate medical attention.”
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Dos and Don’ts of Automobile Insurance Claims Processing

Automobile Insurance, Insurance , ,

We all see it every day.  Car and truck wrecks happen throughout the Upstate all the time.  For most of us, traffic delays are the main headache caused by wrecks.  But when it happens to you, it’s a whole different story.  If you’re involved in any kind of accident, we at Trammell & Mills want you to remember some basic dos and don’ts that can dramatically affect your legal and financial outcome.

If you’re in any type of traffic accident—large or small—DO stop and contact law enforcement immediately.  If there are obvious injuries, ask the 911 operator to send medical help.  DON’T ever leave the scene of any wreck, no matter how minor it may seem.  Stay and work through the proper process.

DO exchange insurance information with the other driver.  Even if you’re angry, be polite about it.  DON’T do or say anything threatening.  Trade insurance and registration details only.

DO wait for law enforcement to arrive before discussing who caused the wreck, and only talk about details with them.  Avoid the temptation to instantly replay what happened out loud with the other driver.  DON’T say anything to admit guilt or fault or liability at the scene of the accident.  Police and insurance companies will determine who’s responsible.

DO talk with anyone at the scene who witnessed the incident.  Get their story and their contact information.  Record it on your phone if they agree.  DON’T let eyewitnesses who could be helpful walk away without knowing what they saw.  This could damage or lose your case if you go to court.

DO take photos of the wreck scene from several angles.  Show any damage done to either vehicle.  You never know which photo may help win your case if legal action is necessary to settle a claim.  DON’T be left without any evidence to prove your story…or your innocence.

DO contact your insurance agent as soon as possible after the wreck.  Share your photos so they can see what damage was done.  If you have any injury, see a doctor.  The sooner you start the claim process, the quicker you can get medical bills paid or car repairs made.  DON’T wait too long to make a claim.  There is a time limit in South Carolina to make a claim and you don’t want to be denied money because you didn’t act fast enough.

DO be careful about signing any kind of insurance release or waiver. Such documents can be misleading, and you really need the advice of an attorney before putting your name on any kind of quick settlement.  DON’T be tricked into accepting less than you should from an insurance adjuster who doesn’t want to pay you a proper amount.

DO let an experienced attorney push the insurance company for fair payment.  DON’T take legal matters into your own hands and risk losing money that’s rightfully yours.  The insurance claim process after a wreck can be a nightmare.  Call the local attorneys at Trammell & Mills at (864) 485-8585 to make sure you get a fair insurance settlement