Every day throughout the United States, there are thousands of motor vehicle accidents. Some of these accidents are relatively minor fender-bender accidents, while others involve serious injuries or fatalities. Unfortunately, if you drive long enough, it is an almost foregone conclusion that you will be involved in some type of motor vehicle accident, whether it is your responsibility or someone else’s fault. If you’re asking yourself what should I do if I was in las vegas car accident today, here we will discuss some common questions, misconceptions, and guidelines regarding what to after a motor vehicle accident.
Do I Need to Call 911 If Am Involved in an Car Accident?
If you are involved in a wreck, it is important to know the first steps to take after being in a car accident in Las Vegas. Most importantly, the first question that needs to be asked in any type of accident is whether 911 should be called to the scene. Every accident is different. For this reason, there is no hard-and-fast rule that provides a definitive answer for every situation. Nevertheless, there are general guidelines and some specific rules to help you determine whether 911 should be called:
- Contact the police if you or another person (including passenger, pedestrian or other driver) suffers an injury or if there is a fatality; and
- Contact the police if there is damage to your or another person’s car or other property. Depending on the severity of the damage, however, it may not be necessary to contact the police or the police may not respond to the accident.
Ultimately, if you are in doubt regarding whether to call 911, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recommends calling 911. According to the Department, it is better to be safe and let the 911 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance. If you do not call 911 or if the police do not come to the accident scene, you should at least file a police report. What’s more, you can also call 311 to report any type of crime where there is no immediate threat to life or property. If you are an accident involving relatively minor property damage or if you believe there has been a motor vehicle violation, you can call 311 to report the issue.
These general guidelines and rules for when to call the police are also applicable to situations involving other types of accidents, such as public transportation accidents or accidents on another person’s or business’s property, including slip and fall accidents. If you have questions regarding contacting the police in an accident, the Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at the Ladah law firm can answer your questions.
Why Is It Important to Call 911 After an Injury?
Any car accident lawyer would say that there are several legal and practical reasons why it is important to call 911 after a motor vehicle or other type of accident. Notably, contacting the police can help protect you from legal liability. In certain situations, Nevada law imposes a legal obligation on a person to contact the police in certain situations. Failure to contact the police after an accident involving an injury or fatality can result in civil and criminal penalties, including imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of two years and a maximum term of 15 years and by a fine of between $2,000 and $5,000.
As a practical matter, contacting the police can help you facilitate your insurance claim and the processing of your claim. Furthermore, contacting the police can help protect you in civil disputes involving other individuals. The police will arrive at the accident and document the accident scene and any injuries. What’s more, the police may also issue a citation if they believe that another party is at fault. A police report can be used in future litigation and is a useful tool to combat testimony from another witness at trial. Not only will it help protect you from claims of other injured drivers, you may also need to protect your rights against other passengers in your car or passengers in another car involved in a crash.
Other Recommended Steps to Take in an Accident
Besides calling the police, there are other important steps you should take after being unexpectedly involved in an accident, so that your legal rights are protected. As a matter of course, anytime you are involved in an accident, you should take the following steps:
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- Seek immediate medical attention, if necessary;
- Ensure any injuries or property damage are reported to the police;
- Review the police report to ensure accuracy. Do not sign any documentation admitting liability;
- Exchange contact and insurance information with other drivers;
- Identify any witnesses to the accident scene and obtain their contact information;
- Take pictures of the accident scene as soon as possible, including property damage, road marks, and road conditions;
- Document any injuries and medical attention received;
- Contact an experienced Las Vegas accident attorney before speaking with anyone, including an insurance company; and
- Contact the insurance company to report your claim and to provide them with the necessary information.
By taking these steps, you can protect your legal rights against claims from other parties and strengthen any case you may have against other parties for liability. Furthermore, this process can help expedite the processing of your claim with an insurance carrier.
What To Do If You Fail to Take A Recommended Step
For whatever reason, however, sometimes people forget to take one or more of the necessary steps. Sometimes people are flustered in these situations or may not know what to do. Common examples include failing to notify the police, not taking pictures of the accident scene, or failing to notify the insurance company of the accident.
In these situations, you may be left wondering what to do or how it affects the process. If you find yourself in this position, it is important to reach out to an experienced Las Vegas accident attorney who can help guide you through this process. For example, an experienced accident attorney will investigate an accident and document the accident site to determine who may be liable. In addition, an accident attorney can help locate possible witnesses to the accident scene. Further, an accident attorney can document your medical claims and expenses to make sure that you recover the compensation you deserve. Finally, an accident attorney can help negotiate a settlement with the insurance company or file a lawsuit to protect your legal rights.
Contact the Ladah Accident Attorneys
If you find yourself in a situation where you did not take one of the recommended steps following an accident, an experienced Las Vegas accident attorney can help. At the Ladah law firm, our Las Vegas accident attorneys have experience working with individual in all types of accidents.
Contact our Las Vegas accident attorneys today for a free initial consultation and case evaluation. You can call us today at 702-252-0055 or visit our office at 517 South 3rd Street in Las Vegas.