Fix a Car Accident Police Report That Is Wrong
If you have ever been in a car accident and received a police report it is important to make sure that it is correct.
Fixing a police report that is wrong takes some patience and the ability to communicate well. You might have to contact the police department and the officer who wrote the report. You might be better off calling The Richard Harris Law Firm for help.
Sometimes there are errors in a police report that can make it difficult if you are trying to prove your case.
If you believe that there are errors in the report it is important to address the issue immediately.
Insurance companies and their adjusters look at it and put a lot of stock into what it says.
The police report can be the difference between winning or losing your case.
What Is Included in a Police Report?
When an officer rolls up on an accident there are some basic things that will be included in an accident report.
- Contact information – Getting the names, addresses, insurance, and driver’s license of all those involved in the accident.
- Statements of drivers – Hearing what those involved have to say and how it happened will be in the report.
- Witness Statements – Witnesses can play a major part in lawsuits and figuring out who was at fault.
- Description – This information will include the damages related to the crash.
- Diagram – This is where the officer draws out the accident and how it may have happened according to the statements and his analysis of the crash.
- Pictures – In some of the reports photos of the accident will be added.
- Opinion – The officer may add their opinion of what happened and who is believed to have caused the accident.
Insurance companies will look at all the evidence that they receive and make their own determination on who they think was at fault.
If the information on the police report is inaccurate then you may be able to contest it.
Mistakes That Happen in A Police Report
Police reports may not show all the information that is necessary to draw a conclusion on who is at fault.
Errors of the Facts – These may be the easiest of the errors to get corrected in a report. Facts may be mistaken in a lot of ways. It could be simple errors like the type of car, birthdate of the driver, insurance information, address of the accident location, street names, misspelled names, etc. If you can show that there are mistakes and prove the factual information then a police report can get corrected. Remember when it comes to lawsuits and courts that getting the correct facts are of utmost importance or there can be issues later down the road.
Errors of Excluded Info – This is often referred to as ‘Errors of Omission.’ This type of error can make a huge difference in a case if some of the facts and information of an accident are excluded. This could include a statement that you made to the officer about an injury you may have sustained at the time and somehow this information was not included in the report. Insurance companies love this type of mistake. If you see this in the report it would be wise to reach out to the officer and remind him of the conversation. This could be an important piece to your case and could help you win the lawsuit.
Errors in the Transcription – Errors in the police report will happen from time to time. It could be a mistake like the speed limit or the time of the day. If a report is written from notes later that day or the next day the police officer may not remember things perfectly. This could be problematic for your case if this happens.
Why Errors Are Made in Police Reports?
First of all, police are human and will make errors like everyone else.
They may be rushed, having a stressful day, or their eyes may miss something.
If a police officer believes a witness is telling the truth, then it could sway their opinion of fault.
Their determination of fault could be based on misinformation.
There are many ways that errors can get into a police report.
Here are some of the details in a police report that could be mistaken.
- Time of the crash
- Vehicle information (year, make and model)
- Injuries sustained
- Amount of damage to the vehicles
- Witness statements
- Who was the driver and/or passenger
Every accident has many details that make up the report.
Mistakes will happen, especially when there are multiple vehicles involved in the crash.
Sometimes small mistakes are made that can be easily corrected.
When it comes to disputing who is at fault things get much harder to change.
Get the Help You Need
If you find yourself in an accident and feel as though the police report is wrong, it is important to get the help of a personal injury lawyer that can help you with your case.
Richard Harris and our team of legal experts will give you a fighting chance at correcting the police report and protecting your rights.
It is important to remember that just because a police report may state that you were at fault does not mean that it is always true.
You have every right to defend yourself if you believe that the police report is wrong.
Why Are Police Reports Important to A Claim?
When you are presenting your lawsuit to insurance companies there must be evidence that can support your claim.
A police officer stating who is at fault in an accident can be a key part of the claim.
A police officer is supposed to be impartial when they make their opinion on the report.
If the report is wrong then a person will need to have the proof to show that there was a mistake made.
This is possible and happens more than one may think.
With some investigations it is possible to gather enough information that may show that the report was incorrect.
Pictures, videos, and witnesses are some of the ways that may help the outcome.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help you get the information and present it in a way that might be a big help in your case.
Fighting an Inaccurate Police Report
It could be as easy as asking the officer to change the report and they agree that a mistake was made.
However, there may be some that will refuse to do so until you come up with some compelling information.
- Gather Evidence – Make sure to write all the information down and basically make your own report as to what happened. Take into consideration things like; vehicle type, date, your destination, weather, road conditions, who was in the vehicle with you, what was going on at the moment the accident occurred and what caused the crash. Every detail that you can think about. If the other driver was angry or intoxicated that should be noted. It is important to take your own pictures and videos that can help validate your story.
- Call Richard Harris – Having an experienced lawyer that has been successful can be beneficial. Getting the report changed and setting the record straight will be worth it in the end.
- Speak To the Police Department – It is best to remain respectful when speaking with the officer. Mistakes are usually just an accident so stay professional with the way you approach the officer. Having legal representation will make your claims more credible and serious.
At Richard Harris the first consultation is always free!
