Do I Need a Police Report Following a Car Accident?
Posted by admin at 15 July 2020, at 12 : 27 PM
You may have heard it one thousand times before, and counting: “After a car accident, call the police.” Why? It seems as if the present danger has passed, given that the most damaging events of the accident have already transpired. It’s normal to be unsure of how exactly police officers can support you after a collision. Still, even when the vehicles are parked, and you are safe once again, the need for law enforcement remains. The officers can provide one critical piece of documentation that no other agency can: the police report.
Why You Need a Police Report After a Collision
Most people are familiar with the fact that, after a car accident, all parties involved must exchange information with one another. This information includes personal phone numbers and addresses, along with proof of insurance. Still, even after all this has been traded, you and the other parties leave with your own subjective accounts of what transpired. Further, negligent drivers are known to misconstrue details of the accident, attempting to reduce their chances of being deemed liable for the damages.
A police report will protect you against such attempts to weaken your case by providing an objective, third-party document outlining the details of the crash. The police report is far more extensive than most people realize. It is not simply a “he-said, she-said” summary of the accident, but an in-depth reflection of the scene that features your recollection of the event in an unbiased manner.
What to Expect in a Police Report
When called to the scene, the officers measure the exact distances between the vehicles, record details of the environmental conditions, and take photographs of the scene. They will also include all the facts below in the report:
* Time and date of the collision
* Location at which the collision took place
* Contact information of any present witnesses
* Citations issued to drivers who violated the law
* A diagram portraying the scene of the accident
* Their opinion of liability and cause of the collision
Everything included in the police report is critical to developing a strong case against the negligent driver. Details of the property damages incurred in the event will be recorded by the officer. So, the report will back up your claim requesting compensation for repair and replacement costs. Additionally, if any injuries were visible at the time you spoke to the police, the negligent driver will have a difficult time denying that they were the cause of the medical expenses you incurred.
Still, the inclusion of a police report in your claim does not negate the need for a car accident lawyer. As mentioned above, the officer is legally obligated to collect the accounts of all parties involved as to what transpired to cause the collision. These statements are likely to conflict with one another, which can pose a threat to the potential success of your claim.
Yet, with the guidance of a good car accident lawyer, you can rest assured that your claim will be given the necessary legal attention. If you’re ready to pursue legal action in the aftermath of your car accident, get in touch with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to start building your case.