Police reports are almost always one of the key factors in deciding the outcome of a car accident case or lawsuit. Therefore, any discrepancies, disagreements, or errors must be addressed as soon as possible.
What happens after your car accident?
Your personal injury lawyer in La Puente will tell you that the police will arrive at the scene immediately after a car accident – it’s the law. The officer will ask questions, make an investigation, take evidence, and take pictures. This information will be compiled into a police report which will include:
● The names and contact information of all parties involved
● Vehicle information like the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
● Information about car insurance coverage
● Details about the accident like its location and the weather conditions
● A diagram of the accident scene and a summary of the accident
● Statements from eye witnesses
● Contact information and names of witnesses
You generally can’t use it as evidence in court, but a police report can help the judge and jury determine who was at fault most of the time.
Police reports can contain factual errors
Personal injury lawyers know that the police try to be as accurate as possible when drafting police reports. However, errors can sometimes occur. Police reports can contain some of the following errors:
● Misspelled names of the parties involved
● Incorrect driver’s license or insurance information of the plaintiff and/or defendant
● Mistakes in the make or model of the vehicle mentioned
● Incorrect insurance company or policy number
● Mistakes in describing the accident’s location
It’s easy to correct these reports. They can either be rewritten or have an addendum attached to them.
Transcription errors
Personal injury lawyers know about transcription errors. There can be errors in what the parties involved told the officer and what the final report says. There can also be omissions of material facts which would substantially influence the final outcome of the case. You can write your own formal statement and ask the police department to include it in the police report
Remember to be truthful and courteous
Police officers are like other people in that they make mistakes. Keep this in mind and treat them with respect, especially when talking to them about errors and omissions in your police report.
Police reports are not flawless
Personal injury lawyers know that police reports are not flawless. Police are humans too so they can make mistakes. However, as this article has proven, it’s important to have these errors amended quickly. Not doing so could severely and adversely affect the outcome of your personal injury case/lawsuit.