If you were recently involved in an automobile accident, especially a serious one involving personal injury, you should consider contacting a car accident lawyer immediately. Even if you are not set on filing a lawsuit, consulting a car accident lawyer is a great way to become completely aware of your options based on your situation. Experienced car accident lawyers can also give you advice that will help you act in a way that protects your rights as you deal with your car accident.
Keeping a checklist of what to do in case of a car accident is often helpful because although there are many things to remember during the chaos of the aftermath of a car accident they are all important, especially if you plan on filing a lawsuit. The most important thing to remember is to obtain a copy of the report written up by police after your car accident. However, even before you obtain a copy, you need to make sure to call the police so that they will come to the scene of the accident and write a report. If there is no police report or you forget to get a copy of the police report, it can be difficult to correctly identify witnesses, the date and time of the car accident, the location of the accident, and the other involved party.
After the aftermath of the car accident has been dealt with and any personal injury has been addressed, you need to get a copy of the report. Although all precincts are different, to obtain a copy of the report you will often have to go to the police station and formally request a copy of the police report. In order to request a copy there are often a number of forms to fill out. In most states you also have to prove that you are closely involved in the car accident in order to get a copy of the report.
Once you have proved that you are a party to the accident, you usually have to know the time and date of the accident and the other people involved with the accident. After you fill out the forms and prove these things, the police station will have your request processed. Once they determine that you are eligible to receive a copy of the report from the police station, they will send it to you within two to five business days. In addition to the length of the process, there is also often a fee associated with the request.
Although obtaining a copy of the police report is a hassle, it is also vitally important. If you have incurred a personal injury or if you are considering filing a lawsuit and hiring a car accident lawyer, having the information that the police report gives you is imperative. If you have not obtained the police report from your car accident, do so today.
