Everyone knows the drill, right? You go home, you call your insurance company, and everything should work out for the best. Except that’s not always the case. Many people don’t contact their insurance providers after a crash because they fear that their rates will go up, or that there will be some other type of trouble. For example, teenagers that don’t inform their parents they were in a wreck may lead to that particular insurance provider not knowing about the crash for weeks.
For many contacting their insurance provider is a pretty straightforward process, but if you need help or support, then contact your local Atlanta car accident lawyer. If it seems like the other driver involved is trying to avoid a claim that he may need more legal help than originally expected.
What Reports Are You Responsible For?
Within Texas, the reporting requirements largely fall on police. The Texas Department of Transportation demands that law enforcement officers report and investigate any crash which involved injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1000 to submit a written report. They have ten days to file this report, and failing to do so can result in a variety of consequences.
If an officer didn’t respond to your crash, then the reporting would largely fall onto your insurance provider. When you call your insurance provider and give them the details of the crash, They will also go through and file a crash report with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Why Wouldn’t the Other Driver Report the Crash?
A lot of people think that crash reporting is optional. Unfortunately, people don’t realize that failing to report the crash to your insurance company can lead to quite a bit of trouble. Although every region and state has their own laws around reporting, and insurance handling, the rules for reporting you’re pretty static.
You must report a crash to your insurance company If the damages exceed $1000, or anyone is injured. Then keep in mind a Fender Bender that seems like minimal damage will likely exceed the $1000 limit. Replacing a front bumper will likely cost more than $1000.
But people often avoid reporting either because they’re afraid that their rates will go up, or that someone will find out about the crash. Then there are times that people don’t report the crash because they think that they didn’t have to. Finally, there’s the situation of a hit and run where clearly the other driver is not going to tell their insurance provider that they hit a vehicle and failed to remain at the scene.
It Likely Won’t Affect Your Claim.
In most cases, this should not affect your claim. You can’t control the actions of the other driver, and you certainly can’t make them call their insurance provider. The trouble that could impact her claim in the time frame on the crash resolution is getting in contact with that other driver and negotiating with that driver’s insurance provider.
The other driver’s insurance policy may be hesitant to payout, may suspect fraud, and may even make it seem as though you did something wrong. It’s a common tactic among insurance companies to ask, “what could have led their driver to believe nothing did not need to report the accident?” This question generally sparks the debate that at the scene, there was some discussion about privately settling the matter.
If you’re getting the feeling that their insurance provider is trying to create conflict within your claim, then bring in an attorney. There is no solid reason why you should ever be forced to speak with the other insurance provider.
Calling John B. Jackson for Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys Support
Whenever it seems as though the other driver involved will cause problems with your crash resolution, it’s best to involve an attorney. At John B Jackson Law Offices, you can take charge of parts of your claim that might have seemed out of their control. You don’t need to wait for the other driver to report their crash, and you don’t have to communicate with the other driver’s insurance provider. These are things that, in theory, your insurance provider should take care of for you. Unfortunately, the insurance industry is not as transparent as it should be.
When you involve a car accident attorney from John B Jackson, you can get some peace that someone is finally on your side. We will work closely with you to understand what exactly happened and how you can approach your claim.
