What is an Accident Report?

An accident report is an official document that has to be written up after a motor vehicle accident. This report contains details about the accident and is drafted by one of the responding officers, usually the officer in charge of the investigation.  

Why is an accident report important to my personal injury case?

Traffic accidents have the ability to change a victim’s life forever. The regulations and laws that you must follow after an accident will vary depending on where you live and can make protecting your right to financial compensation even more stressful. This is one of the many reasons you should reach out to a personal injury attorney from Local Accident Reports today. If you were injured in a car accident, call us to schedule your free case review with one of our experienced car accident lawyers.  

What Information Is Included in an Accident Report?

All accident reports include important and relevant details concerning the incident. The details contained within the accident report may be helpful later on, especially if any legal action is taken. The structure and format of an accident report will depend on where your accident took place. Generally speaking, however, the details that are usually included in an accident report are: 

• The time, date, and location of the vehicle accident.
• The name, date of birth, phone number, current address, and other personal information of everyone who was involved in the crash as well as any statements they gave.  
• The contact details of any bystanders who saw the accident, along with their statements.
• The license plate details, driver’s license information, and insurance information of every driver involved.
• A diagram of the accident, drawn by a responding officer, as well as details on the driver’s actions, any pedestrian movement, vehicle malfunctions, and any other factors that may have played a role.
• The nature of the scene (parking lot, intersection, etc.), weather conditions, traffic conditions, and lighting conditions at the time the collision occurred, as well as a detailed description of any vehicle damage sustained during the accident.
• Any tickets or traffic citations that were issued and any arrests that were made. 
• The responding officer’s determinations as to what caused the accident and who is to blame. 

Reporting a Car Accident

Each state has its own set of laws that indicate when a car accident must be reported to the police. Despite minor variations in the statutes, by and large, an accident must be reported to the authorities by calling 911 from the scene if:  

• Anyone was injured or killed during the accident  
• Someone involved in the accident fled the scene
• The collision was caused by a drugged or drunk driver
• More than $500 worth of property damage occurred  
• The accident involved a commercial vehicle
• A wrecker was needed to remove a vehicle from the scene

The officer who writes your accident report will have a set amount of time, usually about 10 days, to file their report with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent agency.  Once your car accident claim has been filed, then each driver’s insurance company will perform its own investigation into the crash. Every insurance company is going to request a copy of the accident report since it contains a wealth of vital information that will aid their investigations. If you attempt to claim damages after you are injured in a car crash that was not your fault, the other driver’s insurance carrier will most likely try to block the attempt. Speaking with an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney can help you avoid common mistakes that could cost you money and increase your odds of collecting the full amount of financial compensation to which you are entitled. 

Call Local Accident Reports

If you were injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, then you are likely entitled to damages. Here at Local Accident Reports, our lawyers have decades of experience in interpreting personal injury laws pursuant to each state and giving our clients their best shot at collecting the financial compensation they deserve. Call us today at (888) 657-1460 to schedule your free case evaluation and find out what legal course of action or attorneys recommend for your individual situation.