Question by Gimotion: I was in an auto accident christmas eve.?
I was in the left turn lane, waiting for the light to change. I got my green arrow and proceeded to turn left. Half way through the turn I was hit by a white car that ran the light. I had four other people in the car besides myself three of which were watching the traffic light with me so I wasn’t wrong in turning. I ended up going to the hospital along with three out of my four passengers. I was able to even talk to the cop except when he asked for insurance, names and birthdays, I had hysterical children and I was in severe pain. The next day a police man comes by the house because they forgot to ask for my phone number. Wished me merry christmas and left. An hour later he returned to give me a ticket for not having “proper proof of insurance” (printer out of ink so couldn’t print) But he saw I was covered and told me to just take that to court and they’ll “throw it out”. Then he gave me a ticket for failing to heed traffic signal!!!! Seriously??? When I protested he says that he wasn’t the cop on duty, he switched shifts with another officer for christmas; so he didn’t have the details??? I haven’t gotten the other party’s insurance info, or even there names! I know it was to black males, teens or early twenties, pants around their bottoms, and one had on a baseball hat. I contacted my insurance and filed a claim, and I’m not sure what to do now. I’m in considerable pain, and when I went with my sister to go visit ma for the holidays the following day, every time she made a turn I “quietly freaked”. Suggestions and any insight is welcomed and appreciated. Toilatta
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You’ll need to contest that ticket, or you’ll likely be found at fault for that accident.
Whenever you have an accident, the pain from soft tissue injuries is the most about 48 hours after the accident. If you haven’t gone to get checked out, or you’re not going to, just some aspirin will make you feel better, and likely things will resolve on their own, completely, within four weeks.
If you want to possibly pursue a bodily injury claim with the other drivers, you’d start by going to the doctor to verify your injuries. YOUR AGENT can give you state specific advice in this area, and you need to talk to them, because what you need to do, or what gets covered where, varies WILDLY by state. (Quietly freaking isn’t covered. Mental anguish, stress, depression, fear, none of that counts, as far as monetary claims go.)
Lastly, you CAN get a copy of the police report, but you’re better off just going through your own insurance company, and letting them fight for you. It’s easier, and much less time consuming – and with kids, you don’t have the TIME to be chasing all this down.
Then he gave me a ticket for failing to heed traffic signal!!!! Seriously???
Yes, seriously. You can’t turn left unless the way is clear. Period. Being hit is a very good indication the way wasn’t clear. If fact the law states on a controlled intersection you can’t even enter the intersection to turn left unless you can complete your turn, so you should never be caught in the left turn lane when the light turns.
Also your printer being out of ink would not negate the requirement to carry proof of insurance in your car and show it on request to any law enforcement official. It’s good you informed your insurance about the accident, they will be able to sort it out and pay for the damage you caused by failing to yield on Christmas eve.
Wow….you need to find the original Officer who you dealt with and PRAY that he has the information about the guys who hit you.
You stated that you got your Green Arrow….that means you were in the right…however if this is just a figure of speech you are using, you are the one crossing traffic and that makes it your fault.
If you cannot find someone with information on who hit you, it is TOTALLY your fault, and your Insurance company will not honor a claim.
Did the original Officer call an Ambulance out to take you/passengers to hospital or did you go on your own??
If He called, there should be street witnesses the Officer talked to, and there should be a report indicating who the other driver was.
If not, then sorry, it sounds like you may have just cooked your own goose.
I am not addressing the ticket for the traffic light (someone else probably will), but I have something to say about the “proof of insurance” issue: Regardless of the reason that you do not have proof of insurance, it is illegal to drive without proof of insurance. If you cannot print the proof for whatever reason, then you must not drive until you obtain proof, either by regaining the ability to print it or by having the insurance company print proof and send it to you by mail or by having an insurance agent print proof that you pick up at the agency.
First, let your insurance handle the liability and repairs. Secondly, if you feel you were issued the tickets in error, you do have the right to contest them, so do.
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First of all when you are in an accident then you should firstly try to find people who are witnesses at the crime scene.
Secondly take names of all people, vehicle details, time, location, witness details. Since you have 4 other persons with you at the scene then they are witnesses. You should be very clear that in the US a person who jumps a red light can be put into prison for reckless driving.
I suggest that you take all the supporting materials and sort out the issue with the exact officer you interacted with the first time. And Relax, it will speed the heeling process.
Sorry, man. In Ohio, because there were so many accidents where both parties said they had the green, they made a law that the driver going straight has the right-of-way, even if he’s running a red light. Better check your local laws…..