After a motor vehicle accident in California, there are two reporting requirements that the parties must comply with. First of all, the drivers must report the accident to local police or the California Highway Patrol within 24 hours pursuant to CVC 20008(a). But if you file the report with the wrong law enforcement agency, that agency must forward it to the correct agency. There’s a second reporting requirement though. Essentially, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires that an SR-1 accident report form be filed with it within 10 days of the date of an accident if the accident resulted in one of the following:
- Property damage in excess of $1,000.
- Personal injury.
- A fatality.
This reporting requirement applies, even if your accident occurred on private property. Take notice that the police department that you notified of your accident will not pass the required SR-1 information on to the DMV though. Doing so is the involved driver’s responsibility. Likewise, it’s highly unlikely that your insurance company will pass the required information on to the DMV either.
Why Require the SR-1 Report to Notify the DMV?
This report has several purposes. First, the DMV wants to obtain certain statistical information for its records. Any driver in California is must have a minimum of $15,000 per person of liability coverage and $30,000 per accident. They also must carry $5,000 in property damage coverage. The SR-1 can also be used to supplement uninsured and underinsured motorist claims. So if an SR-1 report is required, even the driver who wasn’t at fault must file one. In addition, failure to make a timely SR-1 filing will result in the suspension of an involved party’s driver’s license and a fine of up to $1,000. Notify the DMV as soon as you can. Besides, you don’t want to put yourself in a position of a license suspension and a $1,000 fine for an accident that you didn’t cause.
SR-1 Information Requirements
There’s nothing complicated about the information you need for the SR-1 filing. It takes only a few minutes. Here’s what you need to provide:
- Your current contact information and driver’s license number.
- The contact information for the other party.
- When and where the accident occurred and they type of accident.
- Information about property damage, injuries or death from the accident.
- Your insurance information.
Filing an SR-1 doesn’t contribute to a determination of fault. If you sustained an injury, we can help you prepare your SR-1 in a free consultation and case evaluation. If you obtained medical care and treatment or lost a loved one in a crash, you’re likely eligible to seek damages from the party who caused the crash.
Politely refuse to give the opposing insurer any type of a written or recorded statement about how the crash occurred or your injuries. California doesn’t require you to do that. Rather than having someone use your words against you to try and devalue your claim, you can speak with our California car accident lawyer instead on any accident anywhere in California. Preserve and protect your best interests. Contact Maison Law right away after sustaining an injury or losing someone in a California accident.
Contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Have you yet to notify the DMV after an accident? If you or a relative sustain injury, you might wonder if you’ll have to cover the cost of recovery alone. So make sure you have an attorney from Maison Law watching over every document exchange and communication you have with them.
After an accident involving a serious injury or the tragic loss of life in California, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free, no-obligation case consultation for your family. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case and only gives victims advice that’s in their best interest.
