Make Sure the Police Investigate the Accident
Often times the party at fault will try to convince you that it will be better for both parties to handle this without any intervention from law enforcement or insurance companies. While sometimes the police do not arrive immediatley, having the police immediately investigate the incident is almost always a huge advantage and security blanket for the victim of an accident. The police will memorialize statements of the parties and percipient witnesses. The report should contain all of the information you'll need to bring a claim or lawsuit including but not limited to the identity and contact information of the driver at fault, insurance information, witness statements, diagrams, and even opinions regarding what, if any, vehicle code sections were violated. Good officers will take photographs, measure skid marks, and complete a thorough investigation that makes your life (and your lawyer's life) much easier down the line. If you choose to refrain from making a police report, the party at fault may give you false contact information, disappear, deny the incident occurred, or shift the blame to you.
In sum, make sure the police immediately investigate the accident at the scene. If they refuse, go to the local police station and make a report yourself. They will assign it a case number and let you complete a "counter report" in the police station.
