While all car accidents should be reported to law enforcement, only certain collisions must be reported to the police by law in Philadelphia.
In Philadelphia, any person involved in an accident that results in injury or death must report that accident to law enforcement as soon as possible. You can do this by dialing 911. Police officers will get to the accident location and, upon arrival, begin interviewing involved parties and gathering information to include in a crash report. Alternatively, if you did not realize you were injured right away, you can self-report the accident within five days. Because police reports contain crucial information about auto accidents, following all necessary reporting procedures is paramount if you require compensation for your injuries.
Call The Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 to have our Philadelphia car accident lawyers analyze your case for free today.
Which Vehicle Accidents Need to Be Reported in Philadelphia?
Certain types of motor vehicle accidents must be reported to the police in Philadelphia. Such reporting is required by law under specific circumstances.
If you were involved in a car accident that caused injury, death, or significant damage to a vehicle, you must report the accident to the police, according to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3746(a). You can do this by calling 911 at the accident scene and waiting for officers to arrive. Additionally, according to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3744, drivers are required to remain at the accident scene, render aid to injured victims, and exchange insurance information. While you are only legally required to report certain auto accidents to the police, you should report any collision to law enforcement, regardless of its apparent severity.
If you cannot call the police because you are too severely injured, ask eyewitnesses or other involved parties to do so on your behalf. You should not assume that anyone else will automatically alert law enforcement, even if the crash is serious and there are many eyewitnesses.
After you have reported your accident to the police in Philadelphia, officers will complete and file a crash report. We can help you obtain this report online through the Philadelphia Department of Records online portal for accident reports. Such reports cost $25 to download. You might be able to get a copy of your accident report by going to the police precinct in person. Typically, victims have to provide personal information, like their names and driver’s license numbers, to get copies of police reports.
How Can You Report a Vehicle Accident in Philadelphia?
While the best way to report a vehicle accident in Philadelphia is by immediately calling the police, victims are not always aware of their injuries right away, leading them to believe that alerting law enforcement is not required. Should this be the case for you, you can report in the following days.
Sometimes, because of the trauma and chaos of vehicle accidents, victims’ sheer adrenaline prevents them from realizing the extent of their injuries. Because of this, victims might not call the police. Or, victims, in their confusion and stress following a crash, might be temporarily swayed by negligent drivers to leave law enforcement out of the matter entirely.
If you did not report your crash immediately after it took place, our Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers can help you do so in the days that follow. According to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3747(a), victims who do not report accidents right away have five days to inform the police of the incident. You can do this by gathering the necessary information about your accident and heading to the proper police precinct in Philadelphia.
Reporting Injuries Sustained in Vehicle Accidents in Philadelphia
On top of the legal reporting requirements for auto accidents in Philadelphia, there are additional reporting procedures that victims should follow in order to have the best chances of recovery in their car accident lawsuits.
This includes reporting your car accident injuries to medical professionals. While this is not required by law, it will be important for the success of your claim. After an accident, go to the nearest hospital. Get emergency care from doctors and begin building medical evidence of your injuries.
Be transparent with your care team about your pain levels and other aspects of your physical recovery and progress. Accept all care that doctors advise you to get, like surgeries or physical therapy. Having gaps in your medical treatment might undermine your claim and make it appear as though you are not committed to your physical or financial recovery in Philadelphia.
Using Vehicle Accident Reports in Philadelphia Compensation Claims
In Pennsylvania, certain parts of police reports, such as those containing opinions or conclusions made by police officers, are admissible in civil claims, including those filed by auto accident victims in Philadelphia.
Any evidence that you can use in support of your compensation claim is necessary to get. This includes accident reports. By calling the police and satisfying all accident reporting requirements, you can create documentation of the crash for insurance companies and the court. Furthermore, accident reports often contain detailed information about an accident, like its location, involved parties, time of day, and other information. Such details can help our attorneys get a better understanding of the circumstances of the accident and give us a document that we can refer to when building your case.
Furthermore, police reports for vehicle accidents can point our attorneys in the direction of other evidence. For example, officers often interview eyewitnesses and get their names and contact information. By referring to the police report, we can get the necessary information to reach out to eyewitnesses and get their statements to use in support of your claim in Philadelphia.
Call Our Philadelphia Attorneys About Your Accident Case Now
The Reiff Law Firm’s Bucks County personal injury lawyers can evaluate your case for free when you call (215) 709-6940.
