When car crashes occur, it’s common for there to be a number of different people’s hands that your accident case gets passed through. There’s the responding police officer and the adjuster at the insurance company at the very least.
In cases involving potential criminality or negligence, there might be a crash scene or private investigator or expert witnesses. Each has one’s own role they play. The conclusions ultimately impact the outcome of your legal case.
No matter what state you live in, all drivers are required to report any accidents involving either bodily injury or property damage to the local law enforcement agency. When an officer arrives at the scene of a car crash, it’s common that they will ask a number of different questions in an attempt to gain a better perspective as to how the accident transpired.
After listening to the different parties’ accounts, the officer will draft an accident report. This report will chronicle injuries the involved parties suffered and any damages their cars sustained. This report will also list the accident that occurred. It will include the names of witness and their statements.
When you call your insurance company to report the crash, they’ll ask how the accident occurred in an effort to assess who is legally liable. They will use this to determine what they’re going to pay toward damages. In the most severe of cases, insurance investigations can take several months to complete.
In cases in which an accident victim is either not in agreement with the findings on the police report or the insurance company’s decision with respect to liability, it may necessitate the hiring of a private investigator. This individual might take pictures of the accident scene or property damage, or procure additional witness statements to determine liability for the crash.
With many different parties that have their hands in the case, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if someone representing the other, negligent party contacts you to follow up on your accident. In this case, any statements you make can be used against you to deny your claim.
Because of this, it’s advisable that you consult a Columbus car accident attorney to learn more about how much you should say before you make any admissions in your case.
Source: FindLaw, “Car Accident Investigations: How Do They Work?,” Christopher Coble, accessed June 02, 2017