Understanding your reporting obligations is crucial if you are involved in a minor accident in St. Petersburg. Reporting an incident, however trivial it may appear, can help protect you financially and legally.
What you should know:
1. Florida’s Requirements for Reporting
Florida law requires you to report any car accidents that result in injuries or deaths. Even if no one was injured in a minor accident, it is a good idea for you to report the incident, especially if property damage is involved. The law requires that if the total damages exceed $500 the accident be reported to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
2. Gathering Information for Documentation
No matter how serious the accident, you should always get the information of the other driver. This includes their name, their contact details, their insurance information, and the registration number of the vehicle. Take pictures of the accident site, vehicles involved, and visible damage. Documentation is important in the event of a dispute or when filing an insurance claim.
3. Contacting Law Enforcement
It is beneficial to notify the police of minor accidents, even if you are not legally required to do so. The police can give an unbiased account of the accident, which is valuable evidence if the other party later disputes the details. You can still document the incident with photographs and notes if you don’t want to call the police.
4. Notifying Your Insurance Company
Notifying your insurance provider is a good idea even in minor accidents. This will protect you against any future claims. Check your insurance policy to see if you are required to report all accidents regardless of severity.
5. The Consequences for Not Reporting
Failure to report minor accidents can lead to several negative outcomes. You may find yourself in unexpected legal trouble if the other party decides later to file a lawsuit against you. Having no official record can also complicate insurance claims, and cause disputes about who was at fault
This post was written by Kelly-Ann Jenkins of Jenkins Law P.L. Kelly-Ann is an insurance claim Lawyer. The information on this site is not intended to and does not offer legal advice, legal recommendations, or legal representation on any matter. Hiring an attorney is an important decision, which should not be based on advertising. You need to consult an attorney for legal advice regarding your situation. Click here to learn more! The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.