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police-report-inaccurate-after-car-crash
11/12/2018

What to do if the police report isn't accurate after a car accident

Vuk Vujasinovic

Vuk Vujasinovic

11/12/2018

The police report is sometimes the most important document that comes up in cases involving accident injuries, and it’s a legitimate concern if you think the report may be inaccurate. Two of the most concerning mistakes include situations where:

  • The police report faults you incorrectly. You have a good reason to be concerned about this, but your lawyer should be able to hire an expert in “accident reconstruction” who can show how the wreck was not your fault.
  • The police report says you were “not injured.”  Of course it seems scary, but this is not something that typically destroys a car accident case. Many officers simply check “not injured” if the person does not request an ambulance. Most officers will acknowledge during questioning that they are not medical experts, and they will defer to what the doctors have to say. So, as long as your doctors support your injury case (if they don’t, you don’t have a case!), do not be too concerned about the officer’s injury finding.

The bottom line is that it does matter what the police report says, but the report is definitely not the last word on all important case issues. An accident case is not based exclusively on what is contained in a police report, as there is so much more information out there that is important. However, there are some things you can do to make sure the document is accurate—or build supporting evidence of what really happened:

  • Request a copy of the police report. You can usually get a copy of the document by contacting the police station online or by phone and paying a small fee. Once you have it, look over all the details very carefully and think about what information might be missing or misleading.
  • Talk to an attorney who has experience winning accident cases for victims. If you notice discrepancies or statements that you’re worried about in the report, you can save a lot of time and headaches by contacting an experienced attorney directly. By talking over your concerns with an attorney, you can find out if the inaccuracies might be a problem and exactly what you can do to make sure it doesn’t wreck your injury case for compensation.
If you have been involved in a car accident and discovered the police report to be inaccurate, you need any experienced attorney on your side to help you through your injury claim. Our attorneys provide free, confidential case evaluations to help you make sure you are on the right path. Give us a call at 877.724.7800 or fill out our contact form today!