One of the items you try to get after an accident is a copy of the police report. The report gives your legal team a good starting place for their accident investigation. But what happens if a car accident police report is wrong? Police officers can only use the information presented to them to compile the police report. It's more of an opinion than a statement of facts, since the officer most likely did not actually see what happened.
What is in a Police Report?
The report contains several pieces of information that could help during an accident investigation, including:- The names and contact information of those involved in the accident
- Witnesses and their contact information
- Vehicle descriptions
- A commentary of what happened based on what those involved in the accident told the police officer
- Laws broken (such as running a red light), if any, by those involved in the wreck
- Date, time and location of the accident.
How to Obtain a Copy of the Police Report
One of the first things insurance companies ask for is a copy of the police report. However, before handing it over, you should ensure that all information is correct. Generally, you can obtain a copy of the police report by visiting the police station and asking for it. You can also obtain copies of your police report in Minnesota and Wisconsin online.What to Do if You See an Error on Your Police Report
If you need the police to make changes to the police report, contact the officer who wrote the report. You will need to prove that the information is incorrect. For example, if the officer mixed up the VINs, it's a simple process of providing a copy of the title or registration to the officer. If there is a mistake in the spelling of your name, providing a copy of your license can rectify that. What do do when you see an error in your police report in cases like this is pretty clear. However, if the officer wrote down that you ran a red light when you know you did not, you will have a harder time getting that information changed. You will need extensive evidence showing that you did not run the red light. If you had a dashcam showing video of the minutes prior to the accident, including your stopping for the red light, you might be able to convince the officer to change the report. The best way to deal with an incorrect police report is to contact a car accident attorney and let them help.Why You Should Correct the Police Report
If you or your attorneys can correct the police report, you have a better chance of recovering the compensation you deserve. Keep in mind that the police are not investigators and can only report what you, the other drivers and witnesses tell them. Your attorney can hire forensic accident investigators to investigate the report. While there are many reasons to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident, the investigation is a major reason. Even if the police report is correct, your attorney will want an investigation into the accident to help prove your case. Evidence tends to disappear. Whether unintentional or not, missing evidence makes it more difficult to win your case. The missing evidence might be the evidence needed to prove that the police report is incorrect. Evidence also helps you win your case. It can show if the defendant lied about what happened in the accident. Many factors can destroy evidence, including:- The weather could erode evidence at the scene.
- A defendant could repair his or her vehicle because their attorney advised them to, or the police said it was okay to repair it.
- A defendant could repair his vehicle to hide evidence that he caused the accident.
- The police could inadvertently destroy evidence by leaving a vehicle in an impound lot unprotected from the elements.