A police car accident report and investigation can have a huge impact on your car insurance claim in a number of ways. There are two types of reports in a car accident scene:
- An unofficial report created by those involved in the accident
- A police report created by police officers after investigating the accident
We are going to give you a summary of how accidents are investigated and how a police report can impact your case. If you have been injured in a car accident and need the legal expertise of the best car accident lawyer in Fall River, MA, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our attorneys. We will evaluate your case for free.
Police Car Accident Investigation
A police officer will be dispatched to an accident scene when:
- The accident resulted in injuries
- The car damage is over a certain amount
- One of the drivers is under the influence of alcohol and drugs
- The parties involved in the accident are fighting
- The accident is causing a traffic snarl-up
Keep in mind that whether or not the above-mentioned incidents happen or not, you should always call the police and report an accident. The police can be a valuable resource because they can:
- Call emergency medical care if there are serious injuries
- Investigate and record the cause of the accident
- Secure the car accident scene
The police will collect important information such as:
- The description of the car
- Location, time, and date of the accident
- The witness’s, passengers’ and drivers’ personal information and statements
- Rad and weather conditions at the time of the accident
- A description of the injuries that the parties involved in the accident sustained
- Property damage
- Factors that may have contributed to the accident such as driving under the influence
Different Types of Car Accidents and How Police Reports Can Help
Uninsured Car Accident Claims
It’s very hard to prove a case against a phantom driver. A phantom driver is a driver who caused an accident without realizing they caused one. A police report and witness statements can help you recover damages. It is therefore important that you report if your car was damaged, stolen, or broken into.
Hitting an Object
It’s important that you prove the property owner was at fault when you file a lawsuit or when the property owner decides to file a property damage lawsuit against you. A police report, on the other hand, can support your claim for compensation.
Hitting Another Car
It’s very common for the parties involved in a car accident to try and settle the accident between themselves without notifying the insurance company or involving the police. This might seem like a good idea because it saves time and you do not have to go through the hassle of dealing with insurers. However, the other driver can go behind your back and file a claim against you or blame you for the accident. Not only will you have to prove that you didn’t cause the accident, but you will have violated your insurer’s notification policy.
How the Police Report Impacts Your Claim
Police reports are very convincing in car accident claims. The insurance adjuster might conduct their own investigation but in most cases they will rely on the police report to determine fault. Police officers are trained at evauating an accident scene and therefore are considered credible and it’s very uncommon for adjusters to disagree with them. In a situation where the adjuster disagrees with the police officer and the case makes it to court, the jury usually sides with the police officer.
When the Police Report Shows You are at Fault
Changing the opinion of of fault of a police officer is difficut so convincing a claims adjuster to take a closer look at your claim can be quite a challenge as well. Additionally, once the police report shows that you were at fault, the other driver’s insurer will not accept liability so your claim will be denied. If your insurer accepts liability on your behalf, then you will not be able to make your claim against the other driver.
When the Police Do Not Assign Blame
When the police report doesn’t show who was at fault, it’s likely because the accident was caused by factors beyond the driver’s control such as bad weather and bad road. In such a case, you might still be able to convince the insurance adjuster that the accident wasn’t your fault by contradicting the police officer’s report or by suplmenting and clarifying it.
What if You Do Not Have a Police Report?
If you don’t have one you can create your own report. If you need help creating one, you can contact one of our Fall River car accident attorneys and we will evaluate your case for free.
