3 Ways Your Police Report Can Influence Your Personal-Injury Case

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If you were involved in a car accident, and you have decided to go after the driver of the other vehicle via the court system in order to obtain compensation, you need to make sure that you obtain your police report. Here are three ways that your police report can influence a personal-injury case. 

#1: The Scene

When the police respond at the scene of an accident, they will act as a neutral observer to what happened. In their police report, they will write down and detail what they observed when they arrived at the scene of the accident. More than likely, they will create a diagram that shows where each vehicle was located when they arrived and will note any property damage or skid marks on the road as well. 

The police report should also contain details that the drivers may have overlooked or failed to note the day of the accident, such as what the weather was like, what the visibility was like, and what the lighting was like on the road that the drivers drove on. All of these details can help paint a clearer picture of what happened and who is responsible. 

The polices observations can help establish the scene and back up your version of events.

#2: Witness Statements

When the police arrive, they will also gather statements from everyone involved in the accident. The police will write down as close as they can what the other people involved in the accident say word for word when they interview them. The information that the police obtain may help you establish your case.

Additionally, the police may interview other witnesses that you are not aware of. You can use these witness statements to build your case. Your attorney can even contact these other witnesses and see if they are willing to testify if your case goes to court or if they have additional statements to add or any video or photographic evidence from the scene of the accident. 

#3: Tickets Issued

The police are responsible for determining if anyone broke in law in the course of the traffic accident. If they determine that you or the other drive broke the law, tickets will be issued at the scene of the accident or after an investigation if the scene of the accident was particularly complex. 

Any tickets issued should be detailed in the report. If the other driver was issued a ticket and you were not, that can strengthen your claim that you were not at fault for the accident. 

If you are pursuing a personal-injury case due to a vehicle accident, make sure that you obtain the police report from the department that responded to your accident. The information in the report could strengthen your case and improve your chances of winning a settlement. 

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