Getting compensation for injuries after a car accident can be essential for recovery. Personal injury claims are useful for getting that compensation, which can be used for things like medical bills, lost wages and other related expenses. Successfully navigating a personal injury claim involves demonstrating the other driver’s negligence or recklessness, and having a police report can be handy for doing so. However, a new rule in New York City means that some drivers will be responsible for filing their own reports.
According to the new rule, drivers have to file their own reports when they are involved in accidents in the city that only cause property damage and no injuries. Authorities say that this will improve police response times for emergencies while also quickly getting drivers on their way. Police tried out this method in March 2019 and claim that it improved emergency response times by 9%.
In addition to filing reports with the police, drivers are also expected to send information over to the DMV — the Department of Motor Vehicles. Police say they will still respond to accidents that involve injuries or deaths. Drivers who get in collisions with deer, domestic animals and large vehicles can still expect police to respond to the scene, too.
This new rule might help improve emergency response times, but it may not be helpful for New York City drivers and passengers who are involved in car accidents. This is because some injuries take time to show symptoms, and brain injuries can lead to confusion, possibly leading some to believe that they do not need to call the police. However, it’s still possible to secure compensation, and victims are free to file personal injury claims even without an official police report.