When you get into a car accident and call the police to the scene, they will create a police report that contains details about your accident. Because this report contains so much useful info, it’s a good idea to know how to get a copy of it in the days following your crash. Our Westchester County auto accident attorneys can tell you how to get the report and how you can benefit from having a copy of it.
How Do I Get a Police Report?
If you got into an accident in one of the five boroughs of NYC, you need to request your police report from the NYPD. You can request it by mail, in person at the precinct, or via their website. It may take some time for the police to generate your report, but it should be available within 30 days of the crash.
The process is different if your car accident occurred in another region of New York State. You must go through the DMV and order your report via their website. You can also print out an MV-198C form and mail your request to the DMV. Both of these methods will charge you a small fee.
Do I Really Need a Police Report?
A police report can be useful if you plan to sue for damages. It can also be useful when you make an insurance claim, whether you are making a claim against your own policy or another driver’s policy. Even if you do not end up pursuing a claim or lawsuit, it can be good to have a police report for your records.
What’s in a Police Report?
A police report will contain a wealth of information about your crash. It should tell you:
- Where a crash occurred
- The names of all drivers involved in the crash
- The insurance info for all drivers involved
- Information about the vehicles involved in the crash
- Details about any injuries suffered in the crash
- Whether anyone sought medical attention in the immediate aftermath of the car accident
- The names of pedestrians or cyclists who were involved in the accident
- A diagram of how the crash occurred
- What kind of accident this was, i.e. head-on, t-bone, or rear-end collision
Essentially, the police report is there to give you the information you need about how the accident occurred, who was involved, and what the consequences of this crash were.
Can a Report Blame a Driver for the Accident?
An officer on the scene will not always implicate a particular driver in the crash. However, a police report can contain information about traffic citations that were given to any driver involved in the crash. This can serve as useful evidence in your case.
Schedule Your Case Consultation
If you are considering suing for damages after a car accident, we may be able to help. Contact Hausman & Pendzick to schedule a consultation and meet with our team. If we can help you fight for the compensation you deserve, we’ll get right to work.