Does a fender-bender warrant a 911 call? What about a pedestrian struck in a parking lot? Most people, both at-fault drivers, and victims hesitate to answer those questions. On the one hand, they don’t want to get emergency services involved unless it’s absolutely necessary. On the other hand, not calling emergency services could deprive someone of the assistance they need.
When should you call emergency services? It depends.
Medical Aid
You should always call 911 if an accident results in blood. Whether it’s a dog bite or a car accident, blood not only signifies a serious injury but the risk of other conditions such as infection, broken bones, or even bleeding out.
The best way to avoid worsening these conditions is to get immediate medical treatment from the scene. An EMT can assess the injury and provide life-saving first aid.
Law Enforcement
Any incident resulting in serious injury or damage to property should be reported to the police. If there’s no immediate risk to person or property, consider using the police’s non-emergency number. This will make it easier to reach the appropriate authorities and won’t contribute to already crowded emergency call centers.
The vast majority of personal injury attorneys recommend filing a police report for any accident. A police report does two very important things: It creates a record of the injury, and it verifies the other person’s information.
Imagine a dog bite in the park. A jogger is injured and bleeding and demands the dog owner’s insurance and ID. The dogwalker presents or reads off false information and is never seen again. If the police were involved, the responding officer could have verified the information, ensuring the owner was held responsible for their negligence.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries or even wrongful death in a pedestrian accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney from Priority Law Group, A.P.L.C. to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (877) 975-2529.