When you get in a car accident in Dothan, you are required to report the accident under Alabama law. Failing to report a car accident can lead to fines and other penalties, and if the accident was someone else’s fault, failing to file an accident report could also make it more difficult to seek the financial compensation you deserve.
Technically, filing an accident report isn’t required in all cases. However, as we discuss below, the exceptions to Alabama’s accident reporting requirement rarely apply. If you have questions about what you need to do after a car accident in Dothan, you should seek advice from an attorney promptly. Your lawyer will be able to explain everything you need to know, and if you are entitled to financial compensation for your accident in Dothan, your attorney will be able to fight for compensation on your behalf.
Alabama’s Car Accident Reporting Requirements
Alabama has two different car accident reporting requirements. The first applies to all car accidents resulting in injury or death. Under Section 32-10-5 of the Alabama Code:
“The driver of any motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of such accident to the local police department if such accident occurs within a municipality; otherwise to the office of the county sheriff or to the state highway patrol.”
Under this provision of the law, if you are involved in a car accident resulting in injury or death, you must contact the police “immediately” if possible. If you cannot contact the police immediately (i.e., because you need emergency medical care), you must contact the police as soon as you are able to do so. In this latter scenario, you should contact the appropriate state or local authority using its non-emergency number; and, if you aren’t sure what you need to do, you should contact an attorney for help.
The second of Alabama’s car accident reporting requirements appears in Section 32-7-5 of the Alabama Code. This section of the law states:
“The operator of every motor vehicle which is in any manner involved in an accident within this state, in which any person is killed or injured or in which damage to the property of any one person, including himself or herself, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) is sustained, shall within 30 days after the accident report the matter in writing to the [state].”
Since nearly all car accidents will cause at least $250 in damage, filing a written report within 30 days will be required in nearly all cases. If you aren’t sure how much damage an accident caused, it is generally best to err on the side of caution and file a report. With that said, if you have any questions about your legal obligations, you should not hesitate to seek advice from an experienced attorney.
Do You Need to Report a Car Accident to Your Insurance Company
What about reporting your car accident to your insurance company? Are you required to notify your insurance company that your car was involved in a collision?
While the answer to this question depends on the specific terms of your policy, insurance companies generally require their policyholders to report all collisions promptly. If you don’t report your collision to your insurance company (and you are required to do so), this could potentially result in denial or termination of coverage.
It is also important to note that seeking financial compensation for your car accident in Dothan could involve filing a claim with your insurance company. While you might be able to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you could potentially have a claim under your policy as well.
In any case, when dealing with insurance companies, it is important to be very careful. The insurance companies are not on your side, and they will take advantage of any excuse to deny your claim for coverage. If you hire an attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to deal with the insurance companies for you, and you will be able to rely on your attorney to make sure you are doing everything necessary to seek the full compensation you deserve.
Do You Need Help After a Car Accident in Dothan? Call for a FREE Consultation Today
If you need to know more about what to do (and what not to do) after a car accident in Dothan, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation.
Contact Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC today online or at 844-654-6228 for a FREE case evaluation. With offices in Dothan and Dothan, we represent accident victims throughout Alabama.
