How to Obtain a Copy of an Accident Report

Even before your car accident, you probably know a thing or two about police reports. If you’re in an accident, do you know how to obtain a copy of the report? Do you know what details are included or why they are important to your case? Here is what you need to know.

What Is in the Accident Report?

The accident report will include a lot of important details about the accident. The officers investigating the accident will inspect the vehicles, take notes, photographs and discuss the accident with witnesses. The officers have to gather enough information to draft the police report later. The report is a summary of what happened and the conclusion of the officer’s investigation.

An accident report is one of the best pieces of evidence that you can have when filing a claim against another driver. In the report, there are several facts, such as the time, date and location of the accident. The conditions of the scene, the damage to the vehicles and identifying information of the parties involved. There may also be names of witnesses and statements from different parties. If there were any citations or legal violations, this will be included in the report also.

How Can You Get the Accident Report?

To obtain the police report, you can request one from local law enforcement. When you request a copy, you may have to pay for the said report. To obtain this copy, you need the identification number for the report. An officer will typically hand you the number before you leave the scene of the accident. Once you have the number, you can call the local law enforcement agency and pay a fee to receive the copy. This fee is usually only around 15 dollars.

Now, if you want a free copy of the report, then you may need to discuss it with the claims representative of the insurance company. The representative may have already requested a copy and if this is the case, you can ask the representative for a copy.

If you were recently in a car accident and you plan to file a claim against the other driver, then you must have a copy of the accident report. This can help you prove that the other person was at fault and that you deserve compensation. To find out more about what you need for your accident claim, contact and set up an appointment with a car accident lawyer, like from the Morales Law Firm, as soon as possible.