How to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident
May 25, 2021One of the most important things to do after a car accident is to call the police. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, a police officer will arrive to assess the scene and generate a report.
The police report will contain a summary of the facts surrounding the accident, such as date and time, parties involved, location, and so on. Sometimes the officer might include their professional opinion of which driver was at fault, but this is not to be expected from all police reports.
Nevertheless, this document is a vital piece of evidence, especially when your car accident lawyer is filing a claim for your compensation. How do you get a police report after a car accident?
How to Obtain a Copy of the Police Report
It’s important to keep in mind that the police report might not be available for up to 10 days after the accident occurred. After this period, you can get the report by requesting a copy through the Florida Crash Portal, which will then be available for download.
You’ll be required to sign an affidavit first, confirming that you were involved in the accident, as well as pay a $10-15 purchase fee.
Another way to get the report is requesting the same from your insurance adjuster, who might already have acquired it from the police. Your car accident attorney can also obtain a copy from the police on your behalf.
What if the Police Report Is Inaccurate?
The first thing you should do after getting the traffic crash report is to review it for any errors or false information.
Inaccuracies in factual information on the report can easily be corrected by notifying the officer who was on the scene of your Florida car accident. However, errors in information such as negligence and fault determination are difficult to change and might require the legal support of a car accident lawyer.
Get Help from a Car Accident Lawyer
Even after obtaining a police report that’s in your favor, the insurance company’s investigation can still sometimes conclude that you were at fault and deny your claim altogether. You don’t have to go back and forth with the insurer on your own.
A car accident lawyer can help you build a strong case against the negligent party by using the information in the police report and other forms of evidence. To get a free case review by an attorney from Gross & Schuster, P.A., call us at 850-434-3333 or leave a message through the contact form below.
