What needs to be included in a car accident report?

Reporting an automobile accident is a critical aspect because the police will have the chance to document what happened to write a proper report.

This document is imperative because it brings to court valuable evidence of any personal injury that occurred and contains relevant and well-documented information about the damage and the liability.

The police report can provide useful information for your car insurance company, and it can help protect you in the event of an accident-related lawsuit. Even if the law does not require it, it is wise to file a police report even if the accident seems minor.

A police report helps you in a number of ways:

• it helps facilitate the claim process with your auto insurance company;
• it can mean a quicker payout, as fault and accident details will be easier to determine with the report;
• should your accident escalate into a court case, your attorney will need a copy of the police report.

Essential information and details you need to gather

It is important for you to gather essential information at the accident scene (take notes and photos). Here are some of the essential information you should include in the report:

• date and time of the accident
• weather conditions at the time of the accident
• driving speed at the time of the accident
• the other drivers estimated driving speed
• the number of passengers in the other car
• names, phone numbers of witnesses
• the damages to your car
• your injuries and your car’s passengers injuries
• the other driver’s name and insurance information
• the number of passengers in the other car/their approximate ages
• any vehicle defects you notice on the other car
• factors that could have caused any distraction.

Remember to take photos of the scene, your vehicle, and your injuries. Here are a few details you should include in your photos:

• your injuries and injuries of any other passenger
• skid marks on the road
• the other vehicle’s damages and your car’s damages
• the surroundings (street lights/signs, parking lots, other landmarks)
• the weather or environment (snowbanks, wet or icy roads)

If the police do not come to the accident scene, you can go to the police department to file your report. You can do it online or at the police station, or file the report with the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle). It is important to know that, the more documentation you are able to provide, the more evidence to support your claim can be made available. When you file a car accident claim you need to consider the following:

• injuries may not become apparent for a few days or weeks
• you may not notice all of the damage to your car immediately
• the other party may make false claims about the car accident later
• the other party may admit fault to you but change their mind later

At The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, we benefit from a vast experience in dealing with complex car accidents and we investigate every piece of evidence with the utmost precision. Our principal attorney Sean M. Cleary can advise and assist you through the entire legal process.