Arizona law requires you to call the police after an accident that involves injury, death, or at least $2,000 in property damage, and it’s still wise to do so even when the law doesn’t mandate it. A police report provides critical evidence, prevents disputes over fault or injuries, and strengthens your insurance claim or personal injury case.
Calling Police: What the Law Requires
After being in a wreck, you should check the passengers in your vehicle and any other vehicles to see if there are injuries. If someone is hurt, or you aren’t sure, call 911 and report the incident to the police.
You may have to take this step anyway. Arizona law requires that any driver who was involved in an accident causing injury or death, or property damage of at least $2,000, should notify one of the following:
- The local police department
- The local sheriff’s department
- The closest highway patrol officer
What if the accident did not result in injury, death, or significant property damage? Although the law may not require you to call the police, it’s still a good idea to do so.
Why You Should Call the Police Anyway
Even if there was no death or injury, and property damage appears minimal, it is still a good idea to call Arizona law enforcement. Here’s why:
1) Evidence
A police report is valuable evidence: When police show up at an accident scene, they generate a police report with important details. This is indispensable evidence in an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
2) Disputes Over Fault
There may be a dispute over fault: If you don’t allow police to report to the scene, then the matter of fault becomes your word against the other driver’s. They may make up whatever facts they want, and you will have less objective evidence on your side.
3) Disputes Over Injury / Property Damage
There may be a dispute over injury or property damage: Perhaps the accident was a minor fender bender, but you and the other driver agree not to call the police. Later, the other driver claims you caused major damage to their vehicle – or, worse, injury to them. Without a police report, this will be harder to disprove.
4) Illegal Driving
The other driver may have broken the law: If the other driver was illegally operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol, that’s a strong indicator of negligence under Arizona law. But having the police come to the scene to establish this fact is critical.
5) Hit-And-Run Accusations
There could be a hit-and-run issue: The other driver may flee the scene after the accident, and you will need police to help track the person down. Having the police show up will also make it harder for the other driver to falsely accuse you of fleeing the scene.
6) Insurance Complications
Insurance will become more complicated: Insurance companies do what they can to underpay or deny claims, and will look for any excuse to do so. Learning that police were not called and that there is no accident report will make it easier for them to do this.
How Our Firm Can Help With Your Accident
Once you call the police and allow law enforcement to come to the scene and generate a report, you should reach out to an experienced car accident law firm. We immediately get to work by investigating the circumstances of the accident and acquiring evidence of negligent conduct. Then we negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or take your case to court, if needed.
This is the level of comprehensive legal service you can expect from the Gill Law Firm. Get started with your case now by calling us or completing our online contact form.