What Information Do You Exchange After A Crash?
Car crashes often come with serious emotional and financial consequences, and injured people will usually need to go through the overwhelming process of getting the compensation they deserve. Whether they file an insurance claim or pursue their cases in court, they must follow a complex process, including proving their damages and the other party’s fault and liability.
Evidence is immensely crucial to any car accident case. In most cases, the evidence will demonstrate the extent of the injured party’s injuries and related losses and also safeguard them from false claims the at-fault driver might make. Among the most useful pieces of evidence in a car accident case is information about specific things about the crash.
Information To Exchange After A Car Crash
Under Connecticut law, all motor vehicle drivers who were in a crash must stop and give aid, whenever required, and offer injured people, officers, witnesses, or bystanders their name, address, registration number, and driver’s license number. Drivers who fail to do so can face various penalties, based on whether it’s the driver’s first or subsequent offense and whether the crash led to property damage, personal injury, or death.
The penalties can range from one to 20 years in prison or fines of up to $20,000, or both. An offender may also have their license suspended, and depending on the specific circumstances of the accident, they may be charged with other criminal offenses.
Other Important Information To Get After A Car Crash
Aside from the information people involved in car crashes must obtain, they should also consider gathering the following information to help prove their claim:
- The location, time, and date of the crash
- The police report number
- The responding officer’s name, badge number, and contact details
- The year, make, and model of all the vehicles involved
- The names and contact information of witnesses, including their statements
- The weather conditions, whether it was rainy, sunny,
- The names of businesses around the accident scene. They might have surveillance cameras that captured the moments leading up to and during the crash.
If they sought medical treatment and had their vehicles repaired because of the accident, they should document them by keeping all receipts and doctor’s notes. Lawyers also recommend their injured clients keep a diary of everything related to the car crash to support their claim.
Even if they do not intend to file a claim, they might change their mind later and need records to prove all accident-related expenses. They must note all the injuries and symptoms, the treatments they are receiving, and how their injuries have affected their life.
Reach Out To A Willimantic Roadside Lawyer Now
If you have recently been involved in a car crash and need legal guidance about what you should do next, contact Berman & Russo right away. To explore your legal actions and learn more about your rights after getting injured in a crash, arrange a free consultation with a Willimantic roadside lawyer by reaching us online or calling 860-644-1548.