Why Do I Need A South Carolina Accident Report?
Why Do I Need An Accident Report?
If you were involved in a collision in South Carolina, the basis for any future claims filed with their insurance company would be your official South Carolina Uniform Traffic collision report. This report will be filled out by an officer at the scene of your accident. That is why it is so important to recover a copy of this report as soon as possible.
Without access to your crash report, it will be difficult for the insurance company to confirm key elements of your accident, such as fault and causation. If the adjuster assigned to your claim cannot verify these elements, you may not receive the appropriate settlement for your losses.
Requirements for Obtaining a South Carolina Traffic Crash Report
The moments after an unexpected crash can be overwhelming. If you or anyone else involved suffered injuries, you need to seek immediate medical assistance. However, if no one was hurt in your crash, you should still contact local police. This allows investigators to fill out an official crash report.
Having an official crash report completed at the scene of your crash can not only benefit your insurance claim in many ways, it is also required by South Carolina law. If any of the following occurred as a result of your accident, you are required to report the crash to local law enforcement:
● Bodily injury to any person
● Someone is killed.
● More than $1,000 in property damage.
South Carolina Crash Report FAQs
After a crash, the first thing you should do is to assess yourself and everyone else involved for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately. If you are involved in a minor crash with no injuries, move to a safe area as soon as possible and contact the police.
No matter how serious your accident is, you should still contact law enforcement. This will ensure an official crash report is taken at the scene.
Your crash report is made up of all essential details pertaining to your accident, including but not limited to:
- The date and time of the accident.
- The precise location of the accident, including geographic coordinates.
- Information about any injuries or fatalities.
- The make, model, and year of all vehicles involved.
- The extent of any damages to property.
- Contributing factors, including road conditions and impairment information.
- A narrative and diagram of what took place.
There are numerous ways your accident report can benefit your claim. It will be used by the insurance adjuster assigned to your claim to determine the circumstances leading up to your crash, who is at fault, and the extent of any damages or injuries sustained as a result.
Once the investigation is complete, the adjuster will award your settlement and adjust your rates accordingly.
If you do not contact the police after your crash, they will not be able to file an official crash report on your behalf. It is important to keep in mind that while you can file your crash report with the South Caroline DMV, the other driver involved can do the same. Therefore, your insurance company will be relying on the accounts of both you and a stranger, rather than an impartial law enforcement officer.
You can get a copy of your official accident report through the South Carolina DMV. However, this process requires you to pay a processing fee of $6.00 per report.
We believe you should never have to pay unnecessary fees or fill out complicated paperwork to recover legal information that is rightfully yours. That is why we will recover a copy of your official South Carolina Uniform Traffic Crash report at absolutely ZERO cost to you!
We’re here to provide you with access to a FREE copy of your official South Carolina accident report from the comfort of your own home. Just fill out our easy, 2-minute online questionnaire to get started. Click HERE to begin!
We are here to help those affected by car accidents in South Carolina. We provide crash reports, guidance, and access to legal and medical assistance so that you can move on from the accident with confidence. Our mission is to be a reliable and comprehensive resource for car accident victims.