If you’ve recently been injured in a car accident, you may be wondering if you have to report your collision to the police. In Pennsylvania, the answer is usually yes. In fact, it’s best file a police report immediately after a crash.
In Pennsylvania, victims have five days after a car accident to file a police report. That said, calling the police immediately after a crash is always best. That way, Pennsylvania police officers can create a report themselves, while get the medical care you need. Any accident involving death, injury, or property damage must be reported to the police. If you don’t file a police report within five days of a crash, you can face serious consequences in Pennsylvania. Instead of risking access to compensatory damages, seek help from a lawyer to properly report your car accident to the police in Pennsylvania.
Our attorneys are here to help car accident victims throughout Pennsylvania hold negligent drivers accountable. For a free case evaluation with the Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys at The Reiff Law Firm, call today at (215) 709-6940.
How Soon After a Car Accident Should You File a Police Report in Pennsylvania?
The sooner your report a car accident to the police in Pennsylvania, the better. However, if you cannot file a police report right away, you will have five days after a car accident to do so in Pennsylvania.
After a car accident in Pennsylvania, it’s best to call the police right away. If you do, law enforcement officials will be able to complete a police report. In this report, police officers can include information about a crash, like a victim’s injuries and an accident’s likely cause. Officers will note all involved parties’ information and accounts from eyewitnesses. If you call the police immediately after a car accident in Pennsylvania, you won’t need to file a police report, as law enforcement officials will do so for you.
If you do not call the police immediately after a car accident in Pennsylvania, you’ll have a few days to file a report. Car accident victims have just five days after a crash to report it to the police and the Department of Transportation. Your Philadelphia car accident attorney can help you report your collision after the fact so that the police are aware of your accident.
Remember, you have just five days to report a crash in Pennsylvania. This short timeframe can cause understandable difficulty for injured victims. If you’re having trouble reporting your car accident to Pennsylvania police officers within five days, your attorney can help you.
After What Kinds of Car Accidents Do You Have to File a Police Report in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, only certain car accidents must be reported to the police. If you fail to file a police report when required, you may have difficulty recovering compensation against a negligent driver in Pennsylvania.
According to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3744, victims only need to file a police report for car accidents resulting in death, injury, and property damage. While that may seem broad, Pennsylvania does further specify reportable accidents. Collisions that cause injuries that require medical attention must be reported to the police. Car accidents that result in severe property damage, making a vehicle unable to safely operate, require a police report to be filed as well. And clearly, any accident that results in death must be reported to the police.
While Pennsylvania car accident victims only need to file police reports for certain collisions, that doesn’t mean you can’t file a police report for others. For example, suppose you don’t appear immediately injured after a crash. In that case, you may think that calling the police is unnecessary. In reality, filing a police report is always important. Certain car accident injuries tend to appear within the days following a crash. If you expect to recover compensatory damages against a negligent Pennsylvania driver, it’s crucial that you file a police report after a car accident of any kind.
What Happens if You Don’t File a Pennsylvania Police Report After a Car Accident?
You can face serious consequences in Pennsylvania if you fail to file a police report after a car accident. The most serious penalty that victims may not anticipate is difficulty filing a successful compensation claim against a negligent driver.
Pennsylvanians that fail to file a police report after a crash can face fines and a driver’s license suspension. This is the case even if you are the victim of a car accident in Pennsylvania. While that can seem like consequence enough, there may be more serious repercussions for Pennsylvania victims.
Having access to a police report for a car accident is crucial if you plan to sue a negligent driver. While that report can’t be used as evidence in a lawsuit against a negligent driver, your Bucks County car accident attorney can use the information within a police report to uncover evidence. Without a police report, there may be little to no documentation of your car accident. Not to mention, failing to inform Pennsylvania law enforcement officials of a crash can make it appear as though your accident was insignificant and that you do not need compensation.
Not filing a police report after a Pennsylvania car accident can make it difficult for victims to recover the compensatory damages they deserve. This can cause serious problems for injured victims who require payment for medical bills and lost wages after a crash. To prevent that from happening, victims should hire an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney right away. Your lawyer can help you file a police report within the five-day timeframe so that you don’t harm your future case.
Call Our Attorneys After Your Car Accident in Pennsylvania
If you need assistance filing a police report after your Pennsylvania car accident, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the West Chester car accident attorneys at The Reiff Law Firm, call today at (215) 709-6940.
