Importance of Obtaining a Police Accident Report

After a car accident, you might want to seek compensation from the negligent driver who caused you to be injured. One of the most important documents you will need to file your claim is a police accident report. To ensure this document is available when you need it, you should call the police immediately after your accident. Upon arriving at the car accident scene, the police will begin investigating your crash. They will talk to you and the other driver to find out exactly what happened. If there are any witnesses, the police will also take their statements.

While on the scene, the officers will do several other things including taking photos of car and property damages. From all the information they get, they will file the police report. A copy of this report should be available for you to go through roughly seven days after your cash. You can get the report from the police department that responded to your crash or from www.BuyCrash.com. There are charges you must pay to obtain the report. The fee is usually about $4 to $10.

Why Would a Car Accident Lawyer in Richmond, VA Need a Copy of the Police Accident Report?

We have already established that you must have a copy of the accident report to claim compensation. Without this report, the chances of getting compensation are significantly lower.  During your first consultation with a Richmond car accident lawyer, they will ask to go through the report. If you don’t already have it, the lawyer can get it for you when they begin investigating your crash. In the report, the accident attorney in Richmond will find all the information about your accident. Details in the report include:

• How the accident happened.
• Who was involved in the accident.
• Who was at fault for the accident.
• What damage was caused by the accident.

A lot more information is included in the accident report which is usually about 4 to 5 pages.

What Would Particularly Interest Your Richmond Car Accident Lawyer in an Accident Report?

Important information your accident attorney in Richmond would want from a police accident report would be:

• The names of witnesses. Should you fail to settle with the insurance company you will have to go to court to get compensation.

  • People who witnessed your accident would play a key role in proving the other driver was at fault. The police report gives names and contact details of this witnesses who can be called upon to testify in court. The report also has the names of the police officers who investigated your crash. The officers can also be called upon to corroborate witness testimony.

• The name of the driver who has been blamed for the accident.

  • The police, after investigating your crash, may determine who was at fault. They will state if a driver was texting while driving or drunk driving. They will also include possible traffic violations by the driver at fault. The lawyer would also be looking to find out if you were in any way blamed for the accident. If you were found to be partly to blame for your accident, it could affect how much compensation you get.

• The insurance details of the driver at fault.

  • The car accident lawyer in Richmond, VA would require this information so that he can engage the insurer. The insurer might get in touch with you after your accident. Don’t talk to them until you get legal help. When they call you, they will act concerned but from what we know, they are up to no good. They will be likely looking for you to say something that they can use to deny your claim.

In some cases, a negligent driver may not have insurance. In such a situation, an accident attorney in Richmond would have to get you compensation from your own insurer. The compensation they would get you would cover all the property damage and injuries you incurred.

Get in Touch with an Accident Attorney in Richmond, VA

Following your accident, you might not remember exactly what happened. A police report would offer key insights into your accident which would be valuable when making your claim. An attorney at Virginia Injury Law will get your police accident report and use it to get a fair settlement for your injuries. Talk to us immediately after you get treated for your injuries. The sooner you start the legal process, the faster you will get compensation from a negligent driver. At Virginia Injury Law we don’t charge any legal fees until we get you a settlement. Don’t be afraid to talk to us if you or a loved one are injured in a car accident.