Know Your Rights After a Low-Impact or Parking Lot Collision
After any car accident, it is critical to protect your rights, especially when dealing with insurance companies. This is particularly true for low-impact collisions, which most often happen in parking lots or slow-moving traffic.
Many times, after a minor-looking collision, the other driver will suggest:
“Let’s not call the police. We’ll just let the insurance companies handle it.”
That may sound reasonable in the moment, but it is almost always a mistake.
Why You Should Always Get a Police Report
When you choose not to call the police and no accident report is created, the other driver’s insurance company will usually label your claim as a low-value case.
Once they do that, it becomes much harder to be taken seriously, even if:
- You later develop significant pain
- An MRI shows disc injuries or soft tissue damage
- A doctor confirms you were injured in the collision
Insurance companies often argue that if the crash was “minor” and no police report was made, then your injuries must also be minor. That assumption is wrong, but it is one they use to justify making very small settlement offers.
The Real-World Impact on Your Claim
When there is no police report:
- The insurer treats the case as low impact and low value
- Your injuries are viewed with skepticism
- Medical findings are minimized or discounted
- Settlement offers are usually much lower than they should be
Even if your injuries are real and well documented later, the absence of a police report gives the insurance company an excuse to undervalue your case.
What You Should Do Instead
Any time you are involved in a collision, even a parking lot accident:
- Call the police
- Ask for an accident report
- Make sure both vehicles and drivers are documented
- Protect yourself from being penalized later by the insurance company
This simple step can make a major difference in how your claim is treated.
Key Takeaways
- Always get a police report, even after minor collisions
- Do not rely on the other driver’s insurance to “handle it fairly”
- Low-impact crashes can still cause serious injuries
- A police report helps prevent your case from being undervalued later
If you have been involved in a collision and are unsure what to do next, call Shane Smith Law at 980-999-9999.
Remember, if you are in pain, call Shane.
