When a collision occurs, a formal report is usually filed that documents the nature of and the participants in a crash. There are two basic types of car accident reports:
Since there is such a high volume of car accidents, police are rarely dispatched to non-injury car crashes, and so it is a good idea to produce your own unofficial accident report.
A few days after the accident, once a claim has been filed with the insurance company, a claims adjuster will begin collecting statements from the drivers involved in the crash, the passengers, and any witnesses. Even though the police report may clearly state that one particular driver was at fault, the adjuster still has to investigate the claim.
Police reports are very persuasive in personal injury claims. The police officer was actually at the site of the collision. Their training allows them to properly evaluate the accident and its causes, especially each driver's fault. A police officer's testimony has automatic credibility with a jury.
Sometimes police officers do not assign fault in a car accident. When that occurs, the accident report may indicate that:
When the police don't assign fault, it may still be possible to convince the insurance adjuster that the insured caused the crash, but doing so will require evidence that either contradicts the officer's assessment, or supplements and clarifies it. In this case, an experienced personal injury attorney will have the expertise to move the claim forward and persuade an adjuster to offer a settlement if possible.
Accident Data Center partners with personal injury attorneys across the nation who help injured people handle insurance claims. If you or an immediate family member has been seriously injured and wants to request a copy of the Police Collision Report, go here to get more information.
If you request a copy of a police report from an accident you were involved in, you may find that it contains incorrect information. But how do you fix an incorrect police report? Learn more here.
At about 1:15am, two deputies were in a police SUV when they were struck by a driver that failed to stop at a stop sign. The collision pushed their vehicle off of the road, and they were both injured along with a passenger in the other vehicle, but are expected to be okay.
At about 3:00 pm, a man hijacked a woman's car, struck her with it, and fled the scene, which lead police to pursue the man. Eventually, the man crashed the vehicle and was detained, and the woman who was hit was hospitalized, but only sustained non-life threatening injuries.
