The scene of a car accident is generally very chaotic for all involved and can prove to be very tense when the parties involved do not agree who was at fault. Police officers are trained to investigate and report car accidents, which involves both subjective and objective observations that are documented on their report. The accuracy of the police report directly affects the outcome of claims and compensation that you may be owed; however, mistakes do happen. Once you are safe, it is important to orient yourself to your situation, documenting and cooperating with the responding officers. What happens if there is an error or inconsistency on the report? Can the report be amended? That answer is yes, but not without facts.
How to request changes to a police report after an accident:
- Objective Evidence: Objective evidence is probably one of the most important steps to requesting a change to a police report after an accident. Objective evidence is defined as factual evidence, not based on opinions or reports of people involved. An example of objective evidence would be providing unedited photographs or videos of the scene of the car accident, documented damage to the vehicle, or even pictures of road conditions or weather.
- Time Sensitive: There is a higher probability that specific details or facts not originally reported will be deemed credible if they are given in a time-sensitive manner. As a result, the police report will be fresh in the reporting police officer’s mind versus 6 months down the road.
- Be Polite: Emotions are heightened, and tensions are often high at the scene of the accident, but being rude, demanding, or impolite while giving your report will make the officer less likely to assist in amending their report.
The above list is for educational purposes only and does not guarantee that an amendment to a police report will be completed. Requesting changes to a police report after an accident can be done by the individual; however, retaining an experienced car accident attorney may be the better choice. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, or need assistance to amend a police report, contact the Law Offices of Reginald Keith Davis for your free consultation.