NYPD Officers No Longer Required to Respond to Collisions

An initiative that began on Staten Island last year is now a policy in New York City. As of April 6, 2020, motor vehicle accidents that only result in property damage do not need to be reported to the police department. Officials hope the timing of the policy expansion limits contact during the pandemic to help keep people safe.

Process for Reporting Non-Injury Vehicle Collisions in New York City

According to the NYPD, drivers no longer need to call 911 to report car accidents that result in property damage only. However, individuals who feel threatened or cannot move their vehicle may still call 911 for assistance.

If any of the following situations apply, the drivers must remain at the accident scene and report the crash to the police immediately:

  • A person is killed or injured;
  • A domestic animal is killed or injured; or,
  • A parked car or other property is damaged and the party cannot locate the owner.

Otherwise, drivers are required to exchange information with the other driver before leaving the accident scene. Drivers should exchange driver’s license, vehicle registration, and insurance information.

A Report of Motor Vehicle Accident can be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles for insurance purposes. If the amount of property damage caused by the car accident exceeds $1,000, the Report of Motor Vehicle Accident must be filed within 10 days from the date of the motor vehicle accident.

How Does This New Policy Impact Car Accident Claims in New York City?

One of the first steps most attorneys recommend drivers take after a car accident is to call 911 to report the crash. Police officers respond to the accident, investigate the crash, and complete a police report. A police report can be very useful when filing a car accident claim.

Police reports will not be available now for accidents involving only property damage. Each driver files a report with the Department of Motor Vehicles, but those reports can be biased. Most drivers are not going to claim fault for a car crash.

Unfortunately, some accident injuries are not immediately known after a traffic accident. A driver or passenger could begin experiencing symptoms of injuries like whiplash until hours or days after the crash. Only then does the person realize that he or she sustained an injury in the accident.

Without an official police report, recovering compensation for accident injuries may be more challenging in some cases. Insurance companies may point to the fact that an accident victim acknowledged that he or she was not injured in the accident by not reporting the accident immediately to the police.

Therefore, it is important to try to document the accident scene as much as possible after a crash.

Documenting a Car Accident Scene

If you can do so safely, take pictures of the position of the vehicles before they are moved out of the road. If not, take pictures of the damage to each vehicle. Try to make a video of the accident scene to catch any evidence that can help prove fault.

Ask witnesses for their names and contact information. Agree to exchange information without admitting fault or confirming you are not injured. Note the location of any traffic cameras or other cameras that might have recorded the collision.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately Upon Onset of Injury Symptoms

Consider seeing your doctor for an examination. It cannot hurt to be checked by a medical professional after a crash. If you begin experiencing injury symptoms, seek immediate medical attention and inform the doctor that you were in a car accident.

Keep copies of all information you receive from your doctor. You may also want to keep detailed notes regarding the onset of your symptoms. Taking pictures of bruises as they appear can also be very helpful in proving the car accident caused your injuries.

Ask a Car Accident Lawyer for Help

Car accident claims can be complicated. Insurance companies are not interested in paying claims. They prefer to save money by avoiding liability.

Insurance companies often use delays in medical care to dispute injury claims. With the new policy regarding non-injury vehicle collisions in New York City, insurance companies may fight car accident claims more aggressively when there is no police report, and the injury symptoms were delayed.

If an insurance adjuster is denying your claim or accusing you of causing the car crash, you may want to consult with a New York City car accident lawyer. A lawyer can help you investigate the crash and gather evidence necessary to prove fault and liability.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What’s in Your Kitchen?  Whoopie Pies, Drinks, Raisins, and Chickpea Salad

What’s in Your Kitchen? MakeFoodSafe.com would like to help you keep your family safe from unsafe foods.  Each week we bring together a list of the current recalls.  Some recalls are issued due to undeclared allergens, which could cause serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if someone sensitive to the product consumes it.  Other recalls are issued due to contamination with harmful material or other health risk.  Check back often and evaluate your fridge, pantry, and shopping list to make sure you can identify which foods to avoid. Stewart’s Shops Corp Recalls Cranberry Apple Refresher Due to Undeclared Allergen Stewarts Shops Corp of Saratoga Springs, New York issued a recall on October 17, 2018 for their approximately 2,300 units of Cranberry Apple Refresher due to the undeclared allergen, milk.  Those with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk risk serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if the product is consumed. The recall was initiated...
Read more

Injury Data Reveals Infrastructure Need for E-Scooter Riders in NY

The uptick in electric scooter riding in New York City has come with a slew of complications, including a rising number of scooter-related injuries . New York City leaders and scooter company officials alike are weighing their options for creating a safer transit environment for these e-scooters. One recent report suggests that the most promising option is to create more third-lane, or bike lane, options for electric scooters. This report, compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), found that most people who are injured in scooter accidents were riding on a sidewalk at the time of their accident. Their research suggests that scooter riders often do not feel safe enough to share the road with cars, so they opt for using sidewalks when bike lanes are not available. While this may keep scooter riders safe from colliding with vehicles, it puts pedestrians who use sidewalks at a greater risk. The data show that three out of every five scooter riders who were injured s...
Read more

Food Safety Better at Fast Food or Full-Service Restaurants?

When you go out to eat, there is a level of trust you are putting in the hands of the people who are preparing your food.  There are regulations in place, health department inspections, and a cleanliness factor you expect of a food establishment.  But the bottom line is, a large number of foodborne illnesses occur as a result of eating at a fast food or full-service restaurant establishment.  According to the FDA Report on the Occurrence of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors in Fast Food and Full Service Restaurants, 2013-2014, prepared by the FDA National Retail Food Team, “Consumer demand for food away from home has led to increased spending in both fast food and full-service restaurants.”  According to the study, there are over one million restaurants employing more than 14 million food service workers. So, food safety as it related to fast food and food service is a thing. Food borne illness is serious.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Preventi...
Read more