Personal Injury

When Injured in an Auto Accident in California There Are Certain Pieces of Information to Obtain From the Other Driver

By August 26, 2015No Comments

If and when you are involved in a car accident in California, you should collect certain pieces of information from the other driver or drivers involved.
Most people do collect this information, but some do not.
We suggest you collect the following:

  1. Name of the other driver;
  2. Driver’s license number of the other driver.
  3. Date of birth of the other driver.
  4. Insurance information of the other driver, including the insurance company and policy number
  5. License plate of the other driver’s car.

If possible, verify all this information by requesting that the other driver produce their driver’s license and insurance card.
autoinsurance_603131_600
If you have a phone that can take pictures, take a snapshot of the front side of all documents produced by the other driver. It is possible the other driver could lie to you and provide false information. Having pictures or copying directly from documentation will reduce the chance that the other driver could take off without giving you enough or adequate information to identify them.
Remember to always call 911 to have law enforcement come out to the scene to facilitate the exchange of information.
Many police departments write police reports, but are not required to write a report. Ask the officer if the officer intends to write a report. If he does, make sure you get the accident report number. You will be able to get that report a few weeks after the accident most times for a nominal cost.
If the officer informs you that no report will be produced and you believe you are not at fault, it is always a good idea to attempt to get the other driver to admit fault in the officer’s presence. If the officer is not writing a report, it is extremely critical that you collect the abovementioned  5  pieces of information and keep it in a safe place.
It is always safe to call a Personal Injury Law Attorney before you talk to your insurance company, especially the insurance company of the other driver.
Whatever you do, do not give anyone, whether it be your insurance or the other driver’s insurance, your recorded statement. Nothing good can come of it.
It is best to call an Auto Accident Attorney and have them represent you. This way there is a protective barrier between you and the insurance company. Remember, the insurance company makes money by paying out as little as possible on each claim. They would much prefer to NOT pay you a dime and will use your words against you to avoid paying you.
michael5
If you or a loved one is involved in any type of ACCIDENT whether you think it is your fault or not, PLEASE Contact Fiumara Law , PC NOW at 707-571-8600 OR 760-832-6118 for a free and confidential consultation and find out what over 40 years of combined legal experience in personal injury law can do for you!

Leave a Reply

Translate »
Call Now