Car accidents range in severity. Some are quite serious and must be reported to the police. However, others are fairly minor.

Perhaps you were just involved in a car accident in Fort Worth that seems to have caused minimal harm and property damage. You might wonder if this is an accident that requires calling 911.

The following guide will help you better understand whether it’s necessary to report a minor accident. It will also highlight why calling 911 after any accident might be the best choice.

When You Need to Call 911 After a Fort Worth Car Accident

Texas law requires motorists to report car accidents when one of the following occurs:

  • An accident results in a death
  • An accident results in bodily harm to any party involved
  • An accident results in property damage that seems to exceed $1,000

The law also states that someone reporting an accident to the police should make their report as quickly as reasonably possible. If you’re involved in an accident that meets one of the above criteria, you should try to call the police right away after getting to safety and checking on the other driver.

Why It’s Almost Always Smart to Call 911 After a Car Accident

It can be difficult to determine whether an accident is severe enough to justify calling 9/11. You should play it safe and report the accident as soon as possible.

The dispatcher will send an officer to the scene to investigate it. As you wait for them to arrive, exchange insurance and contact information with the other motorists involved. Remain calm and avoid making any statements that could be read as admissions of fault.

It’s also wise to document the accident by taking pictures of the scene and the vehicles. If you show any signs of even minor injury, take pictures of them as well. Take this opportunity to get the names and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.

Cooperate with the police officer when they conduct their investigation. When they give you permission to leave, see a doctor right away. Some car accidents result in injury that isn’t immediately noticeable. You need to confirm you aren’t injured even if you feel fine.

Pursuing Compensation After an Accident

Seeing a doctor right away can also help you recover compensation for your medical bills later if it turns out an accident caused injuries. Under Texas law, a motorist needs to be able to prove they are able to compensate victims for harm and damage resulting from an accident they caused. The majority of drivers meet this legal requirement by purchasing insurance.

That means you may be able to pursue compensation for your losses by filing a claim to collect from the insurer of the driver who caused your accident. This highlights another reason to call 911 after an accident, regardless of how minor it may seem.

Along with keeping you out of legal trouble, immediately reporting an accident can help you boost your odds of recovering compensation later. This is because insurance companies typically don’t want to lose money. They thus look for reasons to deny claims or make unfairly low offers.

You need to strengthen your case by showing evidence that your accident resulted from the other driver’s negligence. Having a detailed and theoretically objective report to cite can make proving negligence a much easier task.

Calling 911 after a minor car accident in Fort Worth, TX, may seem like an unnecessary inconvenience. However, there are various reasons why calling 911 even when your accident wasn’t serious is something you should strongly consider.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Fort Worth, TX

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth and need legal help, contact our Fort Worth car accident lawyers at Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents to schedule a free consultation.

Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 300
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000