Crashing with the Cops

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Dealing with any type of traffic accident can be difficult, but the process becomes much more cumbersome when a police officer is involved. Recent news reports have indicated that getting into an accident with a law enforcement officer is either becoming more common or it is finally being reported by more drivers. Either way, the entire process can be both confusing and intimidating.

After all, whether it is true or not, most people believe that police officers are given special treatment by the law. Therefore, attempting to stand up for yourself if an officer crashes into your car might not seem like a wise idea. However, letting them get away with the accident without making a report is the fastest way to make your insurance premium go up.
What should I do if I am Injured During an Accident with a Police Officer?

Even though your first instinct might be to avoid the judicial process, it is imperative to file a report. If you fail to do so, you will end up paying for all of your own medical expenses, and you might also have to deal with higher insurance rates in the future.

It is understandable that most people are afraid that the presence of a police officer will cause a bias against them at the accident scene, but the fact is that a person in uniform is still subject to the same traffic laws as everyone else. If you choose to give into fear and let them get away with hurting you during an accident, you will be the only person who pays the price. As the website of West Palm Beach auto accident lawyer, Michael Steinger points out, “The people who cause accidents need to be held accountable, even if they wear a badge.”
What if I am Treated Badly?

It is possible for an individual who reports an accident with a police officer to be treated badly, but that does not mean that you have to simply sit back and take it. You can contact the applicable local officials to ask them to get the police department back in line. Some people also go to the local media to rally support for their cause.

After all, if you are able to expose the truth of the story to a large group of people, it is much more likely that the department will back down and let you proceed with the normal course of events that should follow a traffic accident. However, if you prefer not to deal with the media, you can contact a personal injury attorney who has experience dealing with accident cases that involve a police officer.
Why are so Many of these Accidents Happening?

Although it is likely that each police department has had officers who were involved in multiple accidents every year, it also likely that the media did not used to report on the majority of these cases. In other words, the percentage of these accidents has probably not increased very much, but the number of victims who make the decision to move forward with a case does seem to be getting larger each year.

This is important because you should never let a police officer intimidate you into not filing an accident report. It is also possible that slightly more officers are involved in traffic accidents each year due to the fact that so many police cars are now unmarked. Either way, if you are involved in a traffic accident that was the fault of a police officer, you should definitely report it immediately and consider contacting an attorney if you sustain any serious injuries.

Legal researcher Shelby Warden writes articles to raise awareness of our legal rights. Since his firm's creation in 1997, West Palm Beach auto accident lawyer, Michael Steinger has never represented an insurance company or large corporation. He has handled thousands of Florida accident cases, recovering millions of dollars for his clients.