What Does The Insurance Company Consider A Minor Accident?
It happens every day. A relatively “minor” motor vehicle accident. What is minor to some, may not be minor to others. For the participants, few accidents are minor.
Certainly, insurance companies will endeavor to characterize most car accidents as “minor”.
When I say minor, I talking about an accident where the involved vehicles are driveable, and no one is going to the hospital. I see these types of cases on a daily basis.
Even in a case where there is no serious injury, the frustrations of missing that day’s engagements, and having to have a car repaired are not “minor” to those involved. When the insurance company says “minor” they frequently refer to a case where the occupants are objectively injured, required medical attention, perhaps taken to an emergent room for evaluation and treatment, but are not admitted to the hospital as a patient. That does not sound minor to me. Contrary to what a lot of claims adjusters contend, a scenario where there is not significant, disabling property damage does not mean no one was injured. Indeed, in accidents of his type, the nature and extent of injuries to the connective tissue in the neck or back may not manifest for 24-48 hours. In these circumstances, the question arises:
“Should I call the police?” The answer almost is yes.
The documentation provided by the officer’s report serves many purposes. You get the pertinent information about the other driver such as:
- name
- tag
- address and
- insurance information
There is independent corroboration the accident occurred. The officer may also serve as a witness at trial, not so much for how the accident occurred, as the typically arrive afterward, but perhaps actions or statements of the defendant. If the at-fault driver has no insurance, license, or is impaired, the appropriate legal action can be taken.
I’ve secured financial recoveries for hundreds of people who have been told their accidents were “minor”. I invite all future clients to participate in a case examination and strategy discussion- at no cost. Get in touch with me today to arrange a time to meet. 410 591 2835, or simply complete the form at the bottom of the page.
- Baltimore Personal Injury Trial Lawyer Eric T. Kirk
- Baltimore Car Accident Legal Analysis & Case Studies
- Baltimore Neighborhoods I Serve
A Baltimore car accident and personal injury litigator who has taken hundreds of cases to trial in Maryland, New York and Florida, recovering millions over a 30-year mission to obtain denied compensation for his clients.
