There are about 230,000 car accidents in New York City every year. That breaks down to over 225 crashes every day. However, not every accident is reported and accounted for. There are hundreds of speculated cases where the parties involved agree not to alert the police. Moreover, even when the police do respond, they don’t always file a report. In any case, there are steps you can take if the police fail to arrive on the scene. 

If a police report was not created at the time of the accident, then you have 10 days to file a Driver Accident Report. You must complete and submit that form if you meet one of the following requirements.

• The accident resulted in physical injury or death.
• The accident caused property damage valued at $1,000 or more.

You risk having your driver's license suspended if you fail to file a report when your accident meets one of the above requirements. Filing a claim with an insurance company is much easier when you have a police report, but you can still make a claim without one. It will just take the insurance company longer to process. Other advantages of acquiring a police report include:

• Proof that the defendant was at the scene of the accident. This may seem obvious, but many defendants try to claim that they were not even present.
• Proof that you were a victim of a hit-and-run accident, so compensation can be received.
• Proof the defendant did not carry insurance. In this case, a file can still be claimed, but only if a police report was filed.

In addition, if a potential witness misidentifies the license plate number of a hit-and-run vehicle and there is no police report, the case can be dismissed immediately. 

If you have been injured, a police report helps protect your rights to medical care. Insurance companies often delay or deny treatment for accident injuries that they cannot immediately verify. This protocol could have a serious and lasting impact on your health and overall recovery from your injuries.

Finally, having a police report on file provides you with the information needed to file a compensation claim. The data contained in that report will be highly relevant to the success of your case. Delayed filings can significantly reduce your overall compensation package. In addition to defining the facts of your case, a police report will provide an objective and impartial third party to your claim. This can be even more beneficial than the evidence itself.