As the Plaintiff in a car accident lawsuit, we hold the responsibility of proving the facts of the case. Personal injury attorneys gather and use evidence to do that. We need to know the Who, What, Where and When about the car accident.
One of the best and easiest ways to get those questions answered is with a police report for the car accident. Moreover, much of the work has already been done for us by the police officer. So, it is critically important when you are involved in a car accident to have the police come to the scene and write a report. The success of your case may depend on it, because if there is no police report, there may be serious problems, as discussed below.
I was in a car accident in Birmingham and want to file a claim. I want to gather all of the necessary information, but I’m not sure what I need. Do I really need a police report for my claim?
A police report for a motor vehicle accident is as important as a recordation of the facts of the accident. Police reports are filled with useful information that would be nearly impossible for a person involved in the accident to compile on their own.
Police Reports Document Hard Facts
Police reports document the date, time, and location of the accident. Sometimes you’re traveling in an unfamiliar location, and get into an accident on a road whose name is unknown to you, or you don’t know exactly where on the road, in relation to cross-streets, you are.
Either way, police reports serve as a useful tool in pinpointing the exact location of where an accident happened. Most will even include a rough diagram of the scene of the accident to help illuminate how the accident happened.
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Police Reports Document Involvement in the Car Accident
Police reports are also useful in establishing who was involved in the accident. They document not only the drivers of the vehicles, but the vehicles’ owners as well, along with their insurance information.
Additionally, the police reports list occupants of both vehicles. This is useful not only because it documents how might have been injured in an accident, but also gives an idea of the total number of people involved in the accident.
Since automobile liability insurance policies have a maximum amount money available to pay the claims of everyone injured in the accident, it’s helpful to have a general idea of how many people might be making injury claims.
Police Reports Document Auto Information
Finally, the police report records a wealth of information about the vehicles themselves: year, make, model, as well as the VIN and license plate number. This information helps identify the vehicles involved in the accident, and can be useful in searching for insurance coverage on the vehicles.
Additionally, police reports document the location and severity of damages done to both vehicles. Oftentimes, where the car is damage can help shed light on how the accident occurred.
If you have been in an auto accident in Birmingham, call a Morris Bart attorney immediately and get compensation for your injuries.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.