Many people assume that they should not file a police report after a minor accident but this should not be the case. Your car accidents case will be stronger if you have a copy of the police report when you file for a claim to seek compensation for your injuries. Additionally, your Hyannis car accident lawyer will ask for a copy of the police report when you decide to file a car accident lawsuit because it will make your case even stronger.
You might be thinking that there’s no need to file a police report because your injuries were minor and you will simply recover with time. However, when you go through a car accident, your adrenaline levels increase and after everything has settled down you might start to experience symptoms of injury you hadn’t noticed immediately after the accident.
Additionally, not all symptoms of an injury present themselves immediately, some of them take time to appear. Some injuries worsen over time and the pain that you thought would go away actually increases. Seeking medical attention and getting a police report are crucial factors in the foundation of your car accident case. Documentation is key and a police report offers protection for your claim.
What’s the importance of a police report in your car accident claim?
Other than providing accurate third-party documentation of the accident, a copy of the police report can be submitted as evidence for your claim. When you give your own version of the events that led up to the accident, your version of the story will be biased because you’re looking out for yourself and an insurance company will not take your claim seriously. However, a police report is impartial and unbiased and it is therefore considered by insurance companies.
What information does a police report provide?
Since a police report is unbiased it provides an objective view of several factors of the car accident and they include:
- The exact location of the car accident
- The time and date when the accident occurred
- Damage to property and the cars as a result of the car accident
- Any injuries sustained by the drivers and any other party involved in the accident
- Witness statements and contact information of witnesses who were present at the time of the accident
- Statements from the driver’s narrating their view of the events that led up to the accident
- The state of the surrounding environment at the time of the accident
- Any other relevant information such as the mental state of the drivers or if the drivers were driving under the influence
From the above information, you can see that a police report could potentially support your claim and significantly improve your chances of successfully securing the compensation that you deserve as a result of the other driver’s negligence.
What if you are the driver that is at fault?
You still need to have a copy of the police report even if you are determined to be the driver at fault. It is not unheard of that the other driver might fake some aspects of the accident or fake the claim. A police report can help refute the other driver’s claims if they are untrue and it will keep you from having to pay for a false claim. Regardless of which side you are on after a car accident, having an official document like a police report is always favorable.
How to file a police report
Below are the steps you should take to ensure your car accidents has a police report on file
- Call the police immediately after your accident
- Discuss the details of your accident with the police officer that arrived at the scene and answer any questions they may ask during the interview. They will also interview witnesses and other parties involved in the accident to determine what caused it.
- The police will file a report within a few hours or a day. You should request for a copy of the report to be sent to your insurer and also have your own copy for your records.
- How to submit a public records request to the Massachusetts State Police.
Hire a Hyannis car accident lawyer to help you with your case
It’s important that you have solid legal guidance for your car accident case and hiring one of our Hyannis car accident lawyers could make a huge difference in your case. Schedule your free initial consultation with us at any time by calling 508-775-1660.
