If you get into a car accident in Tennessee, there are a few things you have to do. Initially, you must assess the situation to determine if you need to call for help or make an accident report. If anyone is hurt or there is property damage, call 911 to have the police and emergency medical team come to the scene. If you don’t report an accident in Tennessee, you could have your license suspended, so it’s always better to err on the side of safety.
In addition to notifying authorities is anyone is hurt or killed. If there is property damage worth more than $50, your insurance company requires you to report an accident. Because Tennessee has that low property damage threshold for crashes, every crash that takes place in the state is normally reported.
At the scene, you may need to talk with the police. If you are hurt or unable to speak to the police at the time, you may reach out to them later when you are stabilized at the hospital.
All police reports have to be filed within 20 days, so make sure that you connect with the police and review the information they’ve collected so far. Before you give a statement, you may want to speak with your attorney. He or she can advise you about what you should or should not say. In the meantime, stick to the facts when you communicate with the police. Don’t take responsibility for the accident, though. Fault is something that the police will determine upon reviewing the scene and investigating the crash.
