It’s a huge question, how many reports need to be filed for Georgia car accidents? Not only do you need to file a crash report with the Georgia DDS or Department of Driver Services and the local police department, but also the Department of Public Safety. Then you have to call your insurance company and file a claim with them. It’s so many hoops to jump through, and all too often, that means that you need a lot of help to make sure that everything was done correctly.
Reporting accidents to the Department of Public Safety, the DDS, and even Atlanta PD is critical and required. Don’t miss out on reporting something necessary, and let it bite you later. Before you really get started in figures out your next step, go through and find out when and where you should have reported the wreck. You should also consider calling a local Georgia car wreck attorney for guidance.
Who is Required to Report Georgia Car Accidents to the DDS?
The Georgia Department of Driver Services has an accident report that you can get online and then file in person. However, the bulk of accidents reach the DDS through a police issue crash report. What happens is that the Atlanta Police Department will go through and look at the crash then file their report. That information would then go to the DDS.
That is how the DDS finds out about traffic incidences, which would add points to a license. It’s all too common for people involved to worry about getting all their reports in but take a breath. If you filed, or if Atlanta PD filed a crash report, then you probably don’t need to report the wreck to the DDS yourself.
Will a Police Report Count as Reporting the Wreck?
Generally, yes. Unless you had an excessive amount of property damage or a denied insurance claim, you should consider the police report as well-done reporting. If you do have a lot of property damage or your claim was denied through insurance, then you should also report it to the DDS.
The crash report isn’t a guarantee, though, because unless you had injuries or totaled a car, then it’s likely the police won’t file a report for you. That means you’ll need to go through and schedule a visit to a local police station to file a report. Then you would have to request that report through the Georgia Department of Transportation.
How Else Can the DMV Find Out About a Crash?
The DMV or DDS can also find out about accidents from your insurance carriers, although it’s extremely unlikely. What happens in these cases are that the ongoing insurance policy “check” system that tells the DDS you still have insurance would inform them that your rates went up. Typically your rates should only go up if you were at fault. To that extent, the DDS may begin requesting a report on the changes in your policy.
Filing Reports and Understanding Your Crash Resolution
Filing reports is a big part of resolving your crash because it’s the formal documentation that what you say happened, did happen. A crash report records the information of the drivers and some information about what took place. But you will need to take that a step further and file an official statement with your insurance policy about the crash.
It’s important when filing your reports and statement that you don’t apologize or make any type of statement that could put your resolution at risk. Statements such as, “I don’t know if I had my turn signal on,” can be huge red flags. But when people are filing these reports, they often forget whether they did very simple actions or not because you don’t think about things like turning on your signal or slowing down because they’re natural things to do.
Attorney Guidance on Georgia Car Accidents
Getting the right type of assurance and guidance for your crash is vital. When you go through and get the legal help, you’ll have a more in-depth plan for reporting your crash and filing your claim. As you file your claim, your insurance company will evaluate the different reports or statements made in connection with that wreck. Then they may try to use that information against you to lessen your claim, don’t fall for this classic insurance company trick!
Contact our local Georgia car wreck law firm and get the information that you need in order to get going on your resolution. As you learn to work with our team of attorneys, you’ll have access to a number of resources and all the guidance that you could desire. Set up a consultation and we’ll help you get acquainted with a capable and skilled attorney to talk with you about your crash.
