How Important is a Police Report in a Car Accident?

A car accident can affect a victim’s life physically, emotionally, and financially. However, according to reputed car accident lawyers, victims must maintain their composure despite the shock and confusion to ensure that they make it through the ordeal and its aftermath. A calm head will allow one to take the necessary actions required, such as calling the police.

With the intervention of the police, a police report will be created that reveals the accident’s details. The police report serves as an important piece of documentation that the defendant and their lawyer can use to support their case when they make a claim. How important and useful is a police report in a car accident? This article has all the answers.

Objective and Unbiased Account

Unlike witness statements, police reports are usually objective and unbiased accounts. In other words, the report is not tainted by the witness’ emotions, perspectives, or bias. Such statements, especially in the heat and aftermath of the accident, might be different from what actually happened. You can read this article for legal definitions of a witness statement. It might not necessarily be because the person lied, but how they remember events is different.

Therefore, the police report is the best bet for providing an objective and unbiased account of the accident. The report will contain details about the location, date, and time of the accident. It will also detail the names of the parties involved and their contact information. While witness statements will also be recorded, the fact that several statements will be taken allows for a more objective analysis of what details are factual in the individual statements.

Helps Determine Liability

One reason why police reports are so important in a car accident case is that they help determine liability. In other words, the report helps to determine who was at fault. This function is very important for anyone seeking to get compensation from liable parties. As such, lawyers and insurance companies depend on the information contained in the police report to determine how they act regarding a claim.

Required Documents for Insurance Claims

If you were involved in a car accident and you are filing a compensation claim from your insurance company, you’ll need to present a police report. You can read this article to learn how to file a car insurance claim. Without a police report, you can kiss the success of your claim goodbye, as the insurance company might not process the claim without this document. It is so important because the information in the report will help the insurance adjuster accurately evaluate the injuries and damages the accident has caused. This, in turn, will allow them to decide what the appropriate compensation is.

Provides an Accurate and Detailed Timeline of Events

One thing about witness statements is that the timeline of the event can be so jumbled up that it becomes difficult to know what happened after what. Thankfully, a police report does not just take the statements of the witnesses but also makes sense of the timeline of the events from the multiple statements they receive. This clear, logical, and sequential order of events makes it easy for the lawyer to build a case and negotiate a settlement.

Offers Everyone Involved Peace of Mind

With a police report, all the involved parties have a certain level of peace in their hearts. Since the report is official and from an objective point of view, everyone can accept it as being accurate. This general acceptance leads to a faster resolution and closure, thereby eliminating doubts and arguments about the details of the accident. Thanks to the police report, the liable party knows that they are at fault and will do what they can to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.