If you are injured in a car accident, a police report can play a big role in your efforts to get compensation for those injuries. That’s why you and your Colorado Springs car accident lawyer should get a copy.
What is a Police Report?
The police report of the responding officer will include basic facts such as the location, date, and time of the auto accident. The officer will also review the scene and talk with vehicle drivers, passengers, and witnesses.
The report will also likely include:
- A drawing or diagram of the scene of the auto accident
- Weather, road, and lighting conditions
- Names of all vehicle drivers, passengers, and any witnesses who saw the car accident or its aftermath
- If anyone was injured in the car accident, the police will include a brief description of those injuries
- Description of damage to the vehicles and other property
- Any violation of traffic laws.
The responding Colorado Springs officer probably didn’t see the auto accident first-hand. As a result, any information in the report about how the car accident happened and who to blame will come from his or her after-the-fact observations as well as the vehicle drivers and witnesses’ statements.
How is a Police Report Used If You Are Injured in a Car Accident?
The Colorado Springs officers on the scene may draw conclusions in the police report and even try to assign fault. That is why the police report is so important – the parties to an auto accident lawsuit and insurance companies will use it later in efforts to pin blame.
Both drivers’ car insurance companies will want to get their hands on a copy of the police report as part of their own investigations as to what happened. Insurers want to blame anyone other than their own driver. They will scour the report for any information which will support denying a claim.
But just because an insurance company may try to use a police report to support their position doesn’t necessarily mean that they can use it in a Colorado Springs personal injury courtroom. More often than not, police reports are not admissible as evidence in personal injury lawsuits.
If, for example, one party wanted to rely on a witness’ statements about what happened, that witness will need to testify in court. They would not be able to use the witness’ statements in the police report as a substitute. Similarly, a party would call the Colorado Springs officer as a witness to testify as to what he or she saw.
Nevertheless, a police report can give the parties and insurers an idea of what witnesses would say at trial. It may also contain mentions of other evidence or facts which could affect the lawsuit. That makes the police report key in settlement talks, as it can change how each side sees the strengths or weaknesses of their personal injury case.
Getting a Copy of Your Police Report
Given how important the police report is to your insurance claim and any personal injury lawsuit you may file, you or your lawyer should get a copy.
If a Colorado Springs police officer prepared the report, you can ask for a copy through the department’s website. Similarly, if an El Paso County Sheriff’s deputy wrote the report, their website tells you how to get a copy.
What if the Police Report Is Wrong?
Once you get the police report, you may see something you think is wrong. However, it can be very hard to change a police report, especially information as to how the car accident supposedly happened. However, working with the best Colorado Springs personal injury attorneys will help you get this done.
Conclusion
You need to establish fault to recover money if you were injured in a car accident that was due to someone else’s negligence. While a police report is not conclusive as to what happened or who was to blame, it can play a big role in the outcome of your Colorado Springs car accident lawsuit. That’s why it’s essential to get a copy of the police report for your car accident.
Call Us to Find Out If You a Personal Injury Case
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident then you need to speak with a Colorado Springs personal injury accident attorney. Contact King & Beaty to schedule a free consultation with a Colorado Springs injury attorney as soon as possible after the car accident.
Call (719) 505-9999
