Right after a car accident takes place, you should call for medical help for anyone injured in the collision and contact the police as well. The police respond to the car accident and create a police report which includes important information about the accident that can be useful for your lawsuit or insurance claims. This information is especially helpful when presenting your case to a good car accident lawyer like the ones at Riddle and Brantley, who can provide more useful insight for these situations.
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What is a Car Accident Report?
A car accident report is a police report generated by the accident’s investigating officer who responds to the request for assistance in a car crash. The report contains important information about the incident and lead to additional evidence that can help prove the party at fault for the crash. The common contents of the report include:
Collision Details: This information highlights the date, time, location of the collision, details of the vehicles involved in the crash, weather, road condition details. It is usually the summary of how the crash occurred and who was the at fault party causing the incident based on the law.
Contact Information: The report also includes contact information of parties involved in the accident including names, contact numbers, addresses, license numbers and insurance details.
Driver Statements: The investigating officer also takes interviews of the drivers involved in the crash and the report include a summary of these interviews, which can be useful if the at-fault driver has provided implicating statements.
Witness Statements: Similar to the driver interviews, the police officer also takes the eyewitness testimonies, which are summarized in the report.
Vehicle Damage: The officer provides a detailed summary of the vehicle damage after examining the crash including the vehicle identification number, make, model information, etc.
Injuries: The police records information on whether anyone was injured, if medical assistance was called to the scene and where victims were sent for treatment.
Other Information: This includes information on citations if any, names and seating positions of the passengers, diagram of the accident as per the officer, and any other relevant information related to the collision.
How does the Police Report Affect Your Car Accident Lawsuit?
A police report provides important leads required for an independent investigation of the accident. The jury and court determine the liability for an accident if the parties involved in the crash are unable to reach a settlement. Although the police report may not be permissible in court, it can be useful to file for your injury claim. The insurance adjuster reviews the police report as a part of the investigation to determine the insurance company’s liability. The police officer who has written the report can also testify in your trail by relying on the information in the report for his account.
How can a Good Car Accident Lawyer help you?
A lawyer can help you retrieve the car accident report from the law enforcement agencies and help you understand the contents of the report to build a strong case of negligence against the at-fault driver. If you have been a victim of a car accident, receiving the compensation that you rightfully deserve for your sufferings involves much more than simply submitting a claim with your insurance company. An experienced attorney will fully investigate the crash, calculate the complete extent of your losses and fight for you. Insurance companies are notaries for trying to reduce compensation benefits, but a good lawyer can help you build a solid case and help you claim for the compensation you deserve.