Car accidents and other types of accidents that lead to a personal injury or property damage typically launch an investigation of the circumstances. An accident investigation will normally begin at the scene where the incident occurred.
Police Steps in a Car Accident Investigation
At a car accident scene, the police should begin the investigation by:
- Determining if any involved parties are injured, and if they need medical help, and calling for emergency medical assistance
- Assessing if fire personnel are necessary and calling if needed
- Calling tow vehicles if any of the cars involved are inoperable
In addition, the officer will:
- Gather evidence from all parties involved to assign fault for the accident by interviewing drivers, passengers and witnesses
- Assess traffic control such as stop lights, stop signs, speed limits, etc.
- Record weather conditions at the time of the car accident
- Write a report that contains all information; usually, the report will include a diagram of how and where the accident occurred
Insurance Steps in a Car Accident Investigation
Many times, an insurance company will have an investigator reconstruct the car accident with diagrams, photographs, police reports, victims’ statements and witnesses’ statements. Factors that an insurance company wants to determine from this portion of the investigation include:
- Points of impact to each vehicle
- Skid marks to determine speed at the time of the accident
- Road conditions
- Percentage of fault for all parties involved
Criminal Behaviors and Car Accident Investigations
Car accidents that occur due to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs require another level of investigations. Criminal charges will most likely result from the incident and court hearings will be necessary. Other criminal activities such as a hit-and-run accident will be thoroughly investigated as well.
Cincinnati Car Accident Representation
Dickman Law Offices has the most qualified accident attorney to help protect the rights of Cincinnati residents. Our firm will conduct our own investigation, and will uncover all liable parties if you have suffered from a serious collision. Contact Dickman Law today for a free consultation.
Posted in: Car Accidents, Personal Injury