What Happens When You File a Police Report for a Car Wreck?

If you’ve recently been involved in an auto accident and had to call local law enforcement, you might wonder what happens when you file a police report for a car wreck. The short answer is that local law enforcement will respond to the collision scene and conduct an impromptu investigation.

That said, many other things may happen when you file a report. There are also several important actions you’ll want to take when filing a report to ensure that the incident is well documented. The Charleston car accident lawyers at Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Attorneys are here to provide the information you need to understand the process fully.

The Police Will Respond to the Accident Scene When You File a Car Wreck Report

When you file a report for a vehicle collision, local law enforcement will likely arrive at the scene of the accident to collect information. They’ll gather several pieces of important evidence, including a statement from your and the other parties involved.

Remember, when giving a statement to a police officer, you’ll want to keep your account honest, brief, and concise. Any unnecessary information you provide could be twisted by the insurance company to suggest that you may have been partially at fault for the collision.

You’ll also want to avoid admitting fault to the responding police officers. If you do, they could include your statement in their report. If the insurance company got a hold of that report and saw that you apologized for the incident or said something that indicated you were partially to blame, it could reject your insurance claim or significantly reduce your settlement.

Your Attorney Can Use the Car Wreck Report to Obtain Damages on Your Behalf

When you file a car wreck report with the police, your lawyer will be able to access the collision report and use it as evidence for your insurance claim or personal injury suit. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you file a report after your accident and also provide accurate information when doing so.

Your lawyer will also collect evidence of your crash on their own and use it alongside the information they gather from the police report. They’ll analyze all the evidence available, compile it into a well-constructed claim or lawsuit, and demand that you receive the following damages:

• Current and future medical treatment expenses
• Cost of emergency medical services, like ambulance transportation and hospital care
• Cost of rehabilitative therapy and assistive medical devices
• Lost wages
• Decreased earning ability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Information To Include in a Car Wreck Report

Whether you’re filing a report with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or the police, there are several aspects of your car wreck that you should document. Make sure to include the following pieces of information when drafting a crash report:

The Location and Time of the Incident

One of the first pieces of information you should include in a report is the date, time, and location of the collision. Establishing the setting of the accident will ensure it is documented correctly and aid in the insurance claims process.

Identity of the Involved Parties

Another important piece of information to include when filing a police report is the identities of all the parties involved. You’ll want to include the names, contact details, and insurance information of all the drivers, pedestrians, and other parties that were involved.

Information About the Vehicles

Next, you’ll want to include information about the vehicles involved in the incident. Be sure to make a note of the makes, models, colors, license plate numbers, and any other defining features of the vehicles involved in the car wreck. You’ll also want to include a brief description of the damage that each car took on due to the crash.

Eye Witnesses

Eye witnesses can provide testimony that may help investigators and insurers determine who was at fault for the car wreck. That’s why you’ll want to add the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the collision to your police report.

An Account of How the Car Wreck Occurred

Another important aspect of filing a police report is including a detailed account of how the incident happened. Try your best to recall how the collision played out and write a factual description of the chain of events that led to it.

Schedule a Free Consultation With a Knowledgeable Car Accident Lawyer

Now that you’re more familiar with what happens when you file a police report for a car wreck and how to write a crash report, it’s time to get started on your personal injury case. To do so, reach out to The Thumbs Up Guys at Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Attorneys.

Contact a car accident attorney from our firm to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and discuss your legal options. If you decide to hire an attorney from our team, they’ll work hard to prove that the at-fault driver should be held responsible for all of the financial losses and suffering you’ve been burdened with due to the collision.