What to Do When a Car Accident Police Report Is Wrong in Nevada

You’ve reviewed your car accident police report and something isn’t right. Maybe a detail is wrong, a statement was left out, or the fault determination doesn’t reflect what happened. This is more common than you’d think, and it doesn’t mean your case is lost.

If you or a loved one was injured and you’re dealing with an inaccurate report, our car accident lawyers can help you correct the record and protect your claim.

Common Types of Errors in Police Reports

Not all errors are created equal. The type of mistake determines how you address it and how difficult it will be to resolve.

Factual errors: These are objective mistakes — a misspelled name, wrong date of birth, incorrect license plate number, wrong vehicle make or model, or an inaccurate street address for the accident location. These are the most straightforward to correct because they’re provable. Bring your driver’s license, vehicle registration, or other documentation to the agency and request an amendment.

Transcription errors: The officer takes notes at the scene and writes the formal report later — sometimes hours or days afterward. Details can get mixed up in translation. The speed limit may be recorded incorrectly, the time of day might be wrong, or distances and positions in the diagram may not match the actual scene. These are fixable when you can provide evidence of what the correct information should be.

Errors of omission: This is when accurate information is missing from the report. You told the officer about neck pain, but it doesn’t appear in the injury section. A witness was present but isn’t listed. You mentioned the other driver was on their phone, but the narrative doesn’t include it. Insurance companies benefit from omissions because they reduce the documented evidence supporting your claim.

Fault opinion disputes: This is the hardest type to address. If the officer determined you were at fault — or assigned more blame to you than you believe is accurate — you can’t simply ask them to change their professional opinion. However, their opinion is not a legal determination. You can challenge it through the insurance process or in court with supporting evidence.

How to Correct Factual Errors

For factual and transcription errors, the process is relatively straightforward. Contact the law enforcement agency that created your report — LVMPD, NHP, or the local department — and explain the error. Bring documentation proving the correct information. The agency may amend the report or issue a supplemental report with the corrections.

Be polite and organized. Officers handle many reports, and a clear, evidence-backed request is more likely to get results than a confrontational approach. If the agency is unresponsive, an attorney can submit the correction request on your behalf with supporting documentation.

Can You Challenge a Fault Determination?

You can — but not by asking the officer to change their mind. The fault determination is the officer’s professional opinion, and agencies rarely alter opinions in existing reports. Instead, you challenge the determination during the insurance process or in legal proceedings.

Evidence that can support a different fault conclusion includes:

• Dashcam or vehicle camera footage: Video showing what actually happened before, during, and after the collision
• Traffic or security camera recordings: Footage from nearby businesses, traffic signals, or residential doorbell cameras
• Independent witness statements: Accounts from people not involved in the crash who saw what happened
• Medical evidence: Injury patterns that contradict the report’s characterization of the collision — for example, injuries consistent with a side impact when the report describes a rear-end collision
• Accident reconstruction analysis: A qualified expert’s examination of physical evidence like skid marks, vehicle damage, and debris patterns

Insurance companies consider the officer’s opinion but aren’t bound by it. If your attorney presents compelling counter-evidence, the adjuster can reach a different liability determination. And if the case goes to trial, a jury can weigh all available evidence — not just the officer’s opinion.

How an Incorrect Report Affects Your Claim

Insurance adjusters use the police report as their starting point. If the report says you were at fault — even incorrectly — the other driver’s insurer will use that to deny your claim or offer a lowball settlement. Your own insurer may also take the report at face value when determining your coverage.

This is why timing matters. If you identify errors before the insurance evaluation is underway, corrections can be made before they influence the outcome. Once the adjuster has built their analysis around a flawed report, you’ll need stronger evidence to change their position.

For a deeper look at how adjusters use police reports in their evaluations, see our guide on how police reports affect your claim. And if you need to gather additional evidence to counter the report, start as soon as possible — surveillance footage gets deleted, witnesses forget details, and physical evidence at the scene can disappear quickly.

Don’t Let a Wrong Report Cost You Compensation

At Richard Harris Law Firm, reviewing your police report for errors is a standard part of our case management. We compare the report to your account of the accident, identify discrepancies, and take immediate action — whether that means contacting the agency for corrections or building a parallel evidence file that tells the complete story.

We’ve handled cases where the police report was completely against our client, and we still secured fair settlements by building strong evidence independently. Call us for a free consultation to discuss your report.

Frequently Asked Questions