You must report a car accident "immediately" in Michigan. Michigan law does not define the word immediately, but would assign the ordinary meaning to the word, which usually means "at once; instantly" in the plain english dictionary .
Michigan law (Michigan Compiled Laws section 257.622) requires you to immediately report a car accident in Michigan if any of the following apply:
You Must Stay at the Scene
Michigan law requires any driver who was involved in an accident to stay at the scene to give identification. As car accident lawyers in MIchigan we recommend that you promptly report all accidents to local law enforcement. If you are not sure which police agency has authority, you can contact 911 emergency or the Michigan State Police from your cell phone.
From your cell phone, dial 800-495-4677 or 911 emergency will notify the proper law enforcement agency and/or send an officer to the scene. This will also send paramedics to the scene.
If anyone in the accident is injured, call 9-1-1 to get help from any police agency in the area. Try to stay calm and give as much information as you can to the dispatcher. Follow the dispatcher’s instructions to stay safe or give assistance to the injured.
There are several other actions you need to take after a car accident. Once you have called for police and/or medical help, if it is safe to do so move your car out of traffic (if your car is drivable). Get off the main traveled portion of the road and onto the shoulder, or if you are in the left lane of a divided highway, onto any available median.
If you cannot move your vehicle, put on your emergency hazard blinkers. If you have roadside flares or emergency triangles put them around your car. you should take steps to alert passing motorists and hopefully help avoid another collision.
Michigan law requires that you give contact information such as your name, phone number, and insurance information to all involved drivers after a car accident in MIchigan. You will need to keep your drivers license, valid insurance certificate, and vehicle registration available to show to the police when they arrive at the scene of the crash.
An injury lawyer in MIchigan will recommend that you report all accidents, even if they appear to be minor. There are a several reasons that the team at the Law Offices of Joseph Dedvukaj recommends you file a police report:
We also recommend that you use your cell phone to take pictures or video of the following, if possible:
Unless law enforcement has reported the accident, you must file a driver’s report accident report immediately after a car accident in Michigan. You should also get yourself medical attention. Some conditions, like whiplash, can take a few hours or days to appear. It is important that you document your physical and mental health in order for you to qualify for financial compensation.
You should call a car accident lawyer in Michigan as soon as you are well enough to do so. The Law Offices of Joseph Dedvukaj offer free consultations at your home, the hospital, or our private offices. You may qualify to recover compensation for damages such as medical bills, car repairs (mini tort), lost pay, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Our car accident lawyers will pursue compensation for you on a contingency basis – only pay fees if you win money damages. For a free, no-obligation case evaluation, please call the Law Offices of Joseph Dedvukaj today at 866-HIRE-JOE.
