After a car accident, your attorney and insurer will ask you if you informed the police and made a report. If you called the police, but they did not come to the accident scene, you must go to the station yourself.
While the police report is essential in a car accident case, it is important to understand the extent of its impact before you move further to pursue compensation. A Tucson auto accident attorney will know how an accident report should fit in your case. If you want to learn more about this, you can read more about this.
What does a police report contain?
A police report usually is not an in-depth review of the accident and contains general information. These may include the following.
- Date and location of the crash.
- Names and other information of the drivers involved.
- Information regarding involved vehicles.
- Passengers’ information, if any.
- Witnesses.
- Accident information.
- Statements from involved parties and witnesses.
A police report is important
A police report can positively impact your case. It contains facts of the case and information about what happened at the accident site. The document is more important than you or the other driver’s story.
A police report contains objective information, which helps the law and the insurance company understand the situation in an unbiased way. It is not only helpful in making an insurance claim but also for proving a case of personal injury or a crime.
However, police are not “experts”
The police have years of training and experience handling and analyzing accident sites. However, when the police arrive at the scene, their priority is to ensure that everyone is safe. They may make arrangements for medical help and clear traffic. All this can cause them to overlook valuable information or even arrive at wrong conclusions.
Therefore, do not worry if you find something in the police report that you think is not true. The report is not the final word, and your attorney can challenge it in court with the help of supporting evidence.
A police report is not the only evidence
A police report can indeed be persuasive since a neutral third party creates it. However, the police are no experts and are prone to make mistakes. When you see a wrong report, you should keep in mind that it is only one of many pieces of evidence in your case. Your attorney can help you gather the other evidence.
You call the police on the accident site to help you get justice. However, they misjudge the situation, and now you look like the culprit. Do not be saddened, as a skilled attorney can get you out of this situation with ease.
