If I am involved in a car accident and everyone agrees how the accident occurred, do I need to call the police?

Car Accidents Personal Injury Lawyer Virginia Beach

The below information was written by our personal injury lawyers in Virginia Beach.

Yes. The Virginia Code requires the exchange of certain information following a car accident, and the police officer who comes to the scene should know what information is required so that the requirements of the Virginia Code are satisfied.

The investigating police officer is also a potential witness to the accident scene and can be called to testify regarding his observations and the statements made by people at the scene. Although it may seem like everyone involved in the car accident agrees as to how the accident occurred, people often recall car accidents differently with the passage of time, so you cannot assume that everyone will later describe the accident in the same way they do at the accident scene.

If a lawsuit is filed as a result of the car accident and the case goes to trial, the investigating police officer will not be able to testify as to how the car accident occurred, if the officer did not witness the accident, but the officer can usually testify as to things said by the drivers involved, which becomes very important if the other driver(s) changes his or her story and describes the car accident in a way that you know is not true. Questions regarding the admissibility of statements made at the car accident scene should be directed to an experienced personal injury lawyer.  Our personal injury lawyers in Virginia Beach can advise as to what can be offered into evidence at trial, the value of the personal injury claim, the proper approach for making a claim to the insurance company, and the proper handling of a personal injury lawsuit, if the filing of a lawsuit becomes necessary.

Also see In Virginia, if a car accident is caused by the sudden mechanical malfunction of a vehicle, will the driver of that vehicle be considered free of negligence in a personal injury lawsuit arising from the car accident?

Also see In Virginia, if a person is injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, how long does the injured person have to file a personal injury lawsuit?

Waiting can hurt your case. To find out how our personal injury lawyers in Virginia Beach can help you, please contact us at (757) 486-2700.

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