Portland injury attorney

Oregon Vehicle Crash Attorneys Say: File a Police Report

You’ve been involved in an accident on the highway.  You are safe and sound, there are no injuries, but your vehicle has sustained some major damage.  You’ve traded information with the other driver, you’ve gotten information from any reliable witnesses, and you’ve made sure that everyone else is alright.  What have you forgotten to do?  If the police were not present at the scene of the accident, there’s a good chance that you haven’t filed a police report.  Right after the accident and way before speaking with any Oregon vehicle crash attorneys, you should make sure that you file a detailed and accurate account of your accident with the police.

This step is extremely important because this is where you can ensure that all the details regarding the vehicle crash are reported and logged.  Making sure that this accident report is filed will also help your insurance company to know how to proceed with processing a claim, and an accurate vehicle crash report will also help to make sure that you are protected if there comes a time that any claims are brought to court.

First Tip – File a Thoroughly Detailed and Accurate Report

As soon as you can, contact the police department in the city of the accident’s origin and file a report.  As you fill out this report, you will want to keep a few key things in mind.  First, understand that on some occasions, the accident report ends up being the only accurate information that is collected regarding an accident.  When this happens, the accident report could be the one key piece of evidence that will determine fault and financial responsibility for the vehicle crash.  Second, the faster that you file a report, the faster the insurance company can work with you.  Most often times, insurance companies will require an accident report in order to proceed.  Don’t give the process any reason to stall or come up short.

Second Tip – File the Report Regardless of Accident Size

Many people believe that because their accident was not major or that there were no injuries, that they don’t need to file an accident report.  This is simply not the case.  You can still file a report with the police department and ensure that the accident details are put on record.  Even if your vehicle has only sustained minor damage, take the extra time to contact the police and report the accident.  This covers you in case of future developments, particularly if physical damages or injuries are discovered later on after the accident.

Third Tip – Be Honest with the Police

It never pays to be dishonest, especially when it comes to working with the police.  Sometimes after an accident, feelings of nervousness and vulnerability occur.  Sometimes people become scared, even when they know they’re not at fault, because they aren’t sure if they will get in trouble or not.  It’s ok to feel this way, but it’s important to remember that this is about gathering the facts, and the police are there to do everything possible to help you in that regard.