Thursday 9 November 2023

Rear-End Collisions: Causes and Common Injuries

Rear-end collisions are considered to be one of the most prominent types of auto accidents in the country. These are considered to be a common cause of accidental injuries.

In present times, distracted driving is highly prevalent. However, it is not the only cause of rear-end collisions. These collisions can be caused by:

  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding
  • Heavy traffic
  • Weather conditions
  • Road rage
  • Mechanical failure
  • Fatigued driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
In order to prevent and mitigate rear-end crashes, go for the Forward Collision Avoidance Systems. These systems allow a vehicle to automatically brake without driver action when a crash is likely to occur. However, unfortunately, even with this technology, accidents are still likely to happen. The common injuries you could experience as a result of a rear-end collision can differ. It may differ based on certain factors.
 

What are some of the common rear-end injuries caused?

 

Whiplash
Whiplash is certainly one of the most common injuries that can result from a rear-end collision. This injury is usually caused by a violent, sudden movement of the neck and head. It can cause serious soft tissue damage.

The severity and extent of whiplash injuries vary from case to case. There are certain spinal injuries that demand more intensive medical treatment than others. These are the situations where the head, neck, and back move more violently. This heightens the likelihood of sustaining a serious injury. One of the most prominent dangers of a rear-end whiplash injury is that it isn’t immediately apparent. It could take days or weeks for the full symptoms of the injury to become truly visible.

Broken Bones
Broken bones arise from failure to brake. This is a prominent side effect of many collisions. These are associated with all auto accidents. However, in a rear-end collision, the most common breaks occur to certain parts of the body like hands, spine, ribcage, feet, and skull.

Many modern crash safety equipment exists today. However, broken bones can still happen when the collision is extreme. Unlike soft-tissue injuries, many of the breaks can be easily detected. This enables victims to get medical treatment just on time. However, when there are fractures to the skull, it can be way more serious. These fractures can indicate other problems such as traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI-related deaths are way too common today. Just like whiplash, the early warning signs of traumatic brain injury may not be instantly visible. This could take days or weeks for the full effects of the injury to fully manifest.

There are certain common symptoms. These include loss of consciousness, dizziness, chronic fatigue, abnormal changes in behavior, impaired speech, lowered cognitive performance, etc. The bad thing is that traumatic brain injury can be extremely difficult to treat. Also, certain injuries can result in permanent impairments. Some might even lead to death.

Facial Disfigurement/Scarring
When it comes to rear-end crashes, occupants can be thrown against their restraints. There are times when an occupant could hit a dashboard or headrest in a manner that leaves them with permanent scarring or disfigurements. In such cases, the quality of safety measures and immediacy of treatment can be major deciding factors in preventing scarring.

Paralysis
When a spine or brain injury is pretty severe, it can leave you partially or completely paralyzed. There are multiple factors that can impact the degree of paralysis.

Seat Belt Injuries
Seat belts are vital when driving. But, surprisingly, when someone is involved in a rear-end car accident, seat belts can cause injuries! When your car is struck from behind, your seat belt tightens in order to hold your body firmly in place and prevent it from striking the steering wheel, dashboard, and windshield. The moment this happens, the seat belt can very well cut your skin when your body is thrust forward. The most common seat belt injuries are bruising or lacerations to the chest, neck, and torso.

You must see a doctor and have your injuries documented if you wish to file a claim. Make sure to seek legal representation. Get a monetary settlement for your injuries.
Usually, the Extent of Your Injuries has to be taken into account. This extent depends on certain common factors like type of vehicles involved, the rate of speed, the location of impact, if seatbelts were worn, airbag deployment, seat back angle, etc.

Keep in mind that headrests can be the most common source of protection against whiplash in rear-end collisions.
 

Steps to take after a Rear-End Collision

Right after a rear-end collision, you must contact the emergency medical service as soon as possible. Keep in mind that the timeliness of your treatment can make a huge difference in your recovery process. Once you have properly taken care of your health needs and the needs of any other occupants in your vehicle, consider contacting an experienced auto accident attorney.

You must keep in mind that many things can happen in the aftermath of a severe rear-end collision. Some of these include astonomical medical bills, adjusted insurance rates, lost time and wages, etc. so, many of you might stress over financial trouble right after such an accident.

Keep in mind that you do not need to face a financial emergency due to the recklessness of others. Make sure to contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your community to represent you. Try to rightful earn you the compensation for injuries, property damage and medical treatment associated with such a collision.
 

Ways to prevent rear-end collisions

Drivers must check your mirrors more often. When coming to a stop at a traffic light, try to look in the rearview mirror to be sure vehicles behind you are stopping. Make sure to check your mirrors to be sure traffic is stopping behind you.

It is also important to stay focused on your driving. When you slow to a stop, try to detect an escape route. Never rush up to a stop sign or red light. While stopped, try to visualize what you can do should the vehicle behind you not show signs of stopping in time.

Wednesday 11 October 2023

8 Mistakes Made after a Florida Car Accident

Here are the top 8 mistakes made after a Florida car accident:

Not contacting the Police
In order to build a valid claim, you are required to call the police is critical after the car accident in Florida. This is also important for getting the right amount of compensation. As per Florida law, you need to contact the police right after an accident. When you call the police to the accident scene, it certainly caters to lawful requirements in the state of Florida. On top of that, it helps you construct your personal injury claim. The police report helps you establish that the car accident took place on a fixed day plus time. Thus, it acts as evidence that you were injured due to the accident.

In case you have visible injuries, the police can take note of the same in their report. They might not be able to investigate a civil claim. However, they can act as a great support system when it comes to collecting the right pieces of evidence that ought to be valuable to you to strengthen your personal injury case.

Not taking the case to trial
A majority of car accident cases get settled before they are taken to the trial. If the other side does not pay you properly, you can take your case to trial to get a genuine court order. This might be your last option to get fair compensation for the damages caused. The law in Florida makes sure that people get the right amount of compensation. If you are required to take your case to trial to attain justice, you must exercise your set of legal rights.

Make sure to get representation from an experienced car accident attorney in South Florida. He/she is the right person to represent you legally in court. He/she can fight for you and speak on your behalf. Also, they can give you valuable advice as to whether you should go for a settlement or take your personal injury case to trial.

Not informing your doctor about your symptoms
You might want to downplay your injuries right after a Florida car accident. In order to pacify yourself and release some pain, you might tell yourself constantly that your injuries are not that severe. However, in this process, do not hold back from giving out all the info to your doctor. Keep in mind that small details matter as well. If you withhold, it would certainly get your case complicated. You might not be aware of the severity of your injuries in some cases. Your doctor might be able to recognize these injuries if you let them know about your symptoms.

In certain cases, some injury-related symptoms do get worse over a course of time. If you have a list of symptoms but do not tell the doctor about those, the insurance company might just doubt your claim and question it.

Making apologies for the accident

The other party is likely to use your statements against you in court. According to the Florida Evidence Code, the other party can certainly admit your statements at trial. If you apologize in some wat, the other side might use it as proof that you were partly responsible for the accident. In worse situations, they might even tend to put all the blame on you! So, beware!

Do not make apologies right after a Florida car accident. Your personal injury lawyer can deal with a lot of communications with the other side.

Not visiting a doctor
When you get medical attention right after an accident, it gets easy for you to prove that your injuries arose from the car accident in Florida. If you wait for some time to see a doctor, it certainly gives the insurance company the chance to question the severity of your injuries. When you see the doctor early on, it gets easy for them to diagnose your injuries. Also, they would provide you with a good recovery plan.

After the Florida car accident, you usually get a period of 14 days to go and visit a doctor. You need to visit a reliable doctor to claim PIP benefits for the physical injuries that you have sustained in the accident. If you miss this time frame, the insurance company might as well reduce the value of your claim or even deny it. As per Florida the law, you must seek medical care within a period of 14 days of an accident. This is vital if you wish to make a valid claim for medical bills by means of your PIP insurance.

Thinking that you cannot be a Legal Claim
As a state, Florida has a no-fault system for most of the car accidents. Many are under the wrong impression that this no-fault system deters all car accident lawsuits! This is just false!

Florida law does enable you to file a personal injury claim against the third party for compensation. This is applicable when you have prominent or long-lasting injuries due to the car accident. In such cases, you are likely to have a solid case for financial compensation.

Posting frequently on Social Media
Look before you post something on social media! Keep in mind that social media is admissible in court. Now, you might have your status set to friends only. Still, it is not 100% safe to make a statement on a public platform. If you say something outright to the other party on social media, it might cost you big time. The other party might find a way to take your posts out of context. Most times, they make sure to use it against you and your claim. To be on the safer side, do not post on social media. Wait for your personal injury case to resolve first.

Singing a release
Most insurance companies wish to resolve the case as soon as possible. So, they do tend to send you a release of claims. And this might get your claim denied.

Thursday 6 April 2023

In what Ways can a Personal Injury Attorney Help us?

Usually, the consequences of an injury tend to have costs. The common costs include medical expenses, lost wages, the loss of the ability to earn money in the upcoming future, etc. The pain and stress of an injury might be long-lasting even after the healing period is over. If you have suffered a personal injury due to another individual’s actions, or since someone else did not take precautions to prevent injury, you may be able to take legal action to recover damages. The responsible party might be needed to pay your medical bills. Also, they would have to compensate you for lost wages and lost potential wages. You would have to take all the precautions to provide protection to your family and yourself once you have sustained the injury. This also involves hiring a personal injury attorney to look into your legal options.

Why hire a personal injury attorney?

A personal injury lawsuit can be complex. Witnesses may be required to testify about your injury/s sustained in the accident. Records might be examined. Your case might involve various expert witnesses. Personal injury cases need careful attention to all the details. Getting injury cases resolved can require a good deal of documentation, red tape, and a good deal of time. Hiring a personal injury attorney who has a lot of experience in personal injury law is important when it comes to protecting your set of legal rights. If you want to recover damages from a company or some other organization, it can be expected that they will have legal counsel on their part.

Your personal injury attorney certainly coordinates your legal case. They would help you in the completion of the paperwork involved in a personal injury claim. They can assist you in negotiating with insurers as well as opposing counsel. A professional personal injury attorney would have access to a good bunch of investigators plus expert witnesses. A personal injury attorney who has a good deal of experience can assist in the entire injury claim process.

Also, there are many personal injury attorneys who work on contingency. This implies that they would not charge you unless you end up winning your injury case. The personal plus financial stress of a personal injury can be hard to manage. You might end up accepting a settlement offer which is not really in your best interest. Your personal injury attorney can give you proper advice on this set of offers in order to let you know about your set of expectations. You might be able to get your case resolved through mediation, the cost required to recover your claim and lowering the time. Your personal injury lawyer can help you throughout the mediation process.

If you do not recover, there are no fees involved. There are many personal injury attorneys who work for a contingency fee. This implies that if you do not win your case, you would not pay any attorneys' fees. However, you might have to pay for certain expenses that are not related to an attorney’s services.

In any personal injury case, complicated legal procedures, difficult medical terms, and plenty of paperwork are common. A good attorney can deal with all the paperwork that is vital when it comes to getting your claim resolved. In your first meeting with a personal injury attorney, you would have to be ready with your documents that are related to your injury.

Though you might be responsible for various other costs, you must not consider a personal injury lawyer simply an expense. Keep in mind that it is a ‘must’ investment you would have to make after a personal injury.

What is the role of a personal injury attorney?

When an injured party goes ahead and hires a personal injury lawyer to deal with a case, the lawyer needs to investigate the claim properly. He/she needs to help the client understand his/her legal options when it comes to recovery. Getting success in a personal injury case needs extensive research plus a firm understanding of federal as well as state legal statutes, the local court system, and local ordinances.

A personal injury lawyer has a certain legal obligation to provide protection to a client’s case information as per attorney-client privilege. Since a personal injury attorney has no obligation to share protected client information with other parties as per attorney-client privilege, a Florida lawyer may not offer protected client info to other parties willingly.

Personal injury attorneys tend to figure out the full extent of the damages of the client. This may need extensive research/input from several qualified experts who come with professional backgrounds that are relevant to the personal injury case. Personal injury lawyers need to prepare their clients for hearings, depositions, and trial. This might need careful examination of the elements of the case, assisting a client answer questions properly, making preparations for proper analysis of the witnesses in the case, etc.

A personal injury lawyer might represent a client who needs to deal with an insurance company for getting recovery after an injury. There are many insurance companies that tend to attempt to convince claimants when it comes to accepting some lowball offers on legitimate claims. This is to lower their financial liability to these claimants, as well as hiring a personal injury attorney. Hiring the right personal injury attorney is the most effective way to make sure that an insurance company offers a fair settlement on a personal injury claim. A South Florida personal injury attorney can handle correspondence as well as negotiations with various insurance companies on behalf of a client.

A personal injury lawyer tends to advocate on behalf of his/her client to make sure of a solid recovery in the claim throughout the legal process. There are some personal injury claims that end with insurance claims which entirely cover the damages of the claimant. Various others tend to proceed to settlement negotiations. However, if settlement negotiations fail, a case might proceed to trial.

Wednesday 15 March 2023

Slips and Falls Are No Joke: Five Good Reasons to Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer

A majority of slip and fall accidents tend to occur for various reasons. They may be caused due to poor property maintenance or by certain weather conditions. If the property is not well-maintained, the owner may be held liable. If the weather is at fault, it is not that likely that the owner will be held negligent.

Some hazards cannot be avoided. Various owners might try to keep up with various slippery conditions. If they make a strong effort to keep things safe, they may not be liable for injuries that tend to take place. There are certain circumstances under which an owner is responsible.

How can a slip and fall lawyer help?

The main goal of a personal injury lawyer is to prove negligence. While doing so, the lawyer shows the defendant is legally responsible for your set of injuries. A lawyer may discover that the sidewalk was in disrepair for several months and that the owner has had certain other incidents/injuries that take place as a result. This type of info can clearly establish fault. Also, it can get you the compensation you truly require. If a claim is settled out of court or goes to trial, a personal injury lawyer offers crucial counsel as well as support. 

Here are the top 5 reasons to hire a slip and fall lawyer:

You have to pay the lawyer only when you are compensated

Like other lawyers, slip and fall injury lawyers tend to receive payment when you receive your compensation. This is known as a contingency payment. A contingency payment indicates that your lawyer will get paid only when you get reimbursed. If your insurance does not get you compensated for your injury, then you do not owe your slip and fall injury lawyer a penny! Thus, you have nothing to lose. So, you should just go ahead and hire a slip and fall, injury lawyer. That way your chances of getting fair compensation for your slip and fall case will be high.

It just seems fair since when you get rewarded, your lawyer gets rewarded too.

You can decide to rest a bit

At the time of hiring a slip and fall injury lawyer, keep in mind that he will take care of all of your legal troubles. Thus, you are likely to have more time to rest. You can make use of the time to get recovery from your set of injuries. Just relax! Keep in mind that your lawyer is there to help you. He will make sure to get the best compensation deal for you too.

You must try to take advantage of the resources you have. Never worry about other things. Your slip and fall injury lawyer will handle all of the rest. If you are trying to get recovery from a severe injury and you wish to take care of your legal issues, things are likely to get extremely tough. Your insurance adjuster will make sure to deal with wants to provide you a little amount of compensation for your injury. You can simply let your lawyer deal with the insurance adjuster. Meanwhile, you can just focus on your recovery stage.

Your lawyer knows the law well

A slip and fall injury attorney are one who is experienced in his/her field. They are specialized in dealing with various slip and fall cases on a daily basis. Most of them are familiar with all of the laws. These laws include handling issues such as reimbursing your personal health insurance etc. Thus, you will be able to rely on your lawyer since he/she will know exactly how to handle your situation. This is mainly based on certain previous slip and fall cases that he/she has taken on.

At the time of calling your health insurance to negotiate a settlement, you would not know the right things to say. You are not likely to have an idea as to which the right questions are that need to be asked. After all, you will not know enough about injury laws. Therefore, the insurance company may not wish to help you since they know that you are not familiar with the way things tend to work.

When you have the support of your own slip and fall injury lawyer, he/she will be able to fight the legal battles for you. He/she will be able to get you the compensation that you truly deserve.

You are more likely to get reimbursed

When you have a South Florida slip and fall lawyer, he/she will give you a good chance of getting reimbursed for your bills that are related to your injuries. Because your lawyer is aware of the laws and the industry, he/she will work hard to provide you a reimbursement. Also, health insurance is less likely to take advantage of your lack of knowledge. If you decide to hire a slip and fall injury attorney, your injury issue will be taken seriously. After all, it should be!

You can make the workplace a safe haven

If you slipped and fell and got yourself injured on someone’s property, it could be considered that a specific person’s fault for negligence. You will require a lawyer to help you prove the negligence of the property owner. Your case will also provide a good deal of attention to the property owner’s negligence plus the hazardous environment. This way the owner will be required to update the safety at the workplace.

Due to your case, the set of safety improvements will tend to prevent a good number of employees from getting injured. Hiring a South Florida Slip & Fall Lawyer for making a case about safety hazards is a good way to make a basic difference at your working place. Keep in mind that severe injuries can take place in the workplace. If this happens to you, you deserve proper compensation for your injury. In order to get the best settlement offer that you can, go ahead and hire a slip and fall lawyer.

Wednesday 8 February 2023

What damages can I Claim after a Drunk Driving Accident?

A car accident is pretty daunting in itself. Moreover, if it is the case of drunk driving, matters get really tense. When you are the victim of such an accident, it takes a good deal of time for you to regain your peace of mind. Your anger might get out of control on finding that the other driver or party was drunk!

Being injured in a drunk driving accident can be life-altering. You need to hire a professional personal injury attorney. Only he can educate you regarding the legal process and eventually help you win the case with the best possible compensation.

As per the Florida law, you are a victim of a drunk driving accident if the accident causes you loss of any form that demands compensation. Under Florida Statute for victims of DUI crashes, there are certain “allowances” provided for the victims. However, the victim or his lawyer often requires to pursue these allowances he is subjected to!

You must be aware about the multiple ways through which a victim can obtain benefits.  A set of Qualification Requirements has been established by the Florida’s Bureau of Victim Compensation for receipt of funds under its Crimes Compensation Act.

Here are the requirements:
  • The reporting of the crime to law enforcement needs to be done within 72 hours.
  • It is necessary for the victim to have suffered some form of personal physical injury. There is an automatic reduction in the funds for those who have just suffered psychiatric or psychological injury due to the accident.
  • Application needs to be filed within the time period of one year after the crime date. In case a valid cause is shown, the time period might be expanded up to 2 years.
  • The victim must cooperate with law enforcement, State Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office fully.
  • The victim must not have been engaged in any form of unlawful activity at the time of the accident.
  • The victim must not be responsible for the accident in any way.

The victim must not have a record of felony conviction.
What are the benefits available to the victim?
You need to meet all the above criteria in order to be proven as the victim. Only then, as per the Bureau you are entitled to the following benefits:
•   Loss of wage
•    Loss of support such as the death of a close relative etc.
•    Disability of any form
•    Expenses related to funeral
•    Expenses pertaining to medical treatments
•    Mental health counseling
•    Compensation for any kind of Property Loss 

However, the truth is that you and your lawyer need to pursue your compensation actively in order to avail all the benefits available under the Florida Law. This specific statute helps to save you a good deal of your medical costs.  

An injury caused due to drunk driving accident might cause you loss of time at work and subsequently loss of high wages. You might have to struggle to pay the bills. When your general bills are added on by your medical expenses, you might lose your sleep at night. So, it is more than essential for you to claim lost wages in a drunk driving accident. This includes future wages If the injuries you suffered leaves you disabled or incapable of functioning properly to provide output to the company, you need to count your future wages as well for compensation. 

You are also entitled to seek damages for pain and suffering caused by such an accident. This involves the physical or mental distress caused due to someone’s death. You need to prove the nature and severity of your injury as well as the prognosis issued by the doctor with the intent to claim such damages.
Out of all the damages claimed, those related to medical expenses is the most common. This is because in most cases, medical expenses can add up at a striking rate into a lump sum. The situation might be the same even when you have medical and auto insurance. You can demand reimbursement for ambulance rides, consultations, medical equipment, physical therapy, in-home medical care and all other expenditures.
What to do just after a drunk driving accident occurs?

•    Dial 911
When you find out you are the victim in the crash, dial 911. Make sure to receive treatment for your injuries instantly, if possible. Police officials soon test the other driver for the accident.

•    Gather contact information
Collect important contact information. It includes the other driver’s name, contact number, address, and details related to insurance. Also, gather relevant info from the witnesses on the scene.  Gather their basic contact information as well since it might come handy later.

•    Gather every possible piece of evidence
Click pictures of the crash scene, the vehicles or vehicles that were involved, and any injuries that you suffered. If there are other pieces of evidence like torn clothing, crashed debris etc., make sure you keep those handy as well.

•    Hire a drunk driving accident attorney
Only the qualified drunk driving attorney has an absolute knowledge on law.  At first, the case might seem to be simple but things might get tense with the progression of the case. So, be on the safe side and get yourself a proper attorney with specialization in this field.

Who is usually responsible for drunk driving accidents?
If the person who apparently caused the accident is found to have a BAC that is higher than the legal limit, you can go ahead in filing a lawsuit against him. You can also file a claim against a restaurant or bar if it is responsible for providing alcohol to the person accused for the accident. 

•    The accused person needs to be Under 21 years of age.
•    The accused need to be someone who is “habitually addicted” to alcohol.

It is pretty difficult to put the blame or a part of blame on the third parties that might actually be liable for the drunk driving accidents.

Thursday 5 January 2023

How Do Police Officers Investigate Car Accidents In Florida?

When an accident causes injuries, police officers are dispatched to the accident scene, in usual. Police officers need to note a lot of things in the accident scene altogether.

Once an accident occurs and you are the victim, you need to provide a bunch of info to the dispatcher. The dispatcher should know your location with a description of the prominent landmarks. In the case of anyone else is injured, feeling sick, or if there are some dangers involved, you must call the police instantly.

Usually, police officers receive training in car accident investigation. When they get to the accident scene, they investigate the accident and its causes. In general, they do not create their official accident report at the scene. They use a worksheet and then prepare and file the official report.

Some of the common info that the police officer should gather are:

  • Date, time, and location of the accident
  • Personal information and statements provided by drivers, passengers, and witnesses
  • Descriptions of injuries and fatalities
  • Vehicle descriptions
  • Weather and road conditions when the accident occurred
  • Type of property damage to the vehicles and their contents; the extent of damage
  • Certain factors that led to the accident like speeding
  • Photographs of the scene and the vehicular damage

When alcohol or drugs are involved in any way, police conducts field sobriety tests. They may make arrests for DUI as well. However, it depends on the severity of the case. In case traffic laws have been violated, the officer issues tickets to one or both drivers.

The officer may call for a towing company if any of the cars are not driveable. Both drivers need to get the service number of the police report from the investigating officer. This service number comes into play at the time of requesting a copy of the final police accident report. In case you don’t have a service number, you will have to provide the accurate date and location of the crash. Also, you will have to provide your personal identification information in order to get a copy of the report.

Once the accident scene is cleared, the police may drive to the hospital to look into the serious injuries sustained by drivers or passengers, as the case may be. Once the follow-up is done, the officers will return to the station.

The accident report usually includes the officer’s written opinion of the details and causes of the accident. It also includes a description of the at-fault driver’s actions that gave way to the accident. Also, there will be a drawn diagram of the accident scene and the point of impact.

The police accident report needs to be complete with the few following days. There are certain jurisdictions that make crash reports available to the general public. In certain states, the access of crash reports is only provided to the involved drivers, the drivers’ representatives, and the drivers’ insurance companies.

What to know about Police Reports?


When you are involved in a car accident, call 911. You must never let the at-fault driver talk you into settling the accident without calling the police or insurance companies. This is because the other car can claim injuries and blame you at a later stage. You might have to deal with a huge financial risk if you do not inform your insurance company right on time.

In case you have hit an object, notify police. This is because the police report may help your insurance company defend you against a lawsuit or claim from the property owner. The police report can also support your claim for compensation from the property owner.

Keep in mind that uninsured motorist claims against phantom drivers are not that easy to establish when there is no police report. In short, call the police, no matter whatever is the nature of the Florida car accident that you are involved in.

Keep a copy of the Police Report

Keep in mind that your car accident paperwork is incomplete without a copy of the police accident report. The police report is a vital asset. It can have a huge impact on the outcome of your injury claim. So, make sure to carefully read the report. This way you can correct any errors.

Make sure to contact your own insurance company in order to ask for a copy of the police accident report. Once a claim is opened, the adjuster will request an official copy of the police report. In case the report is available, the claims adjuster should send you a copy for free.

You can certainly request a police report copy directly from the law enforcement agency who investigated your claim. You might have to pay a small amount. Many agencies handle accident report requests online. Else, you can contact the police department to get proper instructions. You might have to provide the service number from the investigating officer (if applicable), the accident location, the accident date and exact time, your identification, etc.

In case you do not know how to read police reports, you might not be able to understand the report. There are certain sections that might be shown as code numbers. In general, the forms and their details are pretty comprehensive. However, you will have to ask others about the codes.

Is the police report full of facts?

In the police report, the info contained in the police report can be a fact or an opinion. The facts include the date, time, and location of the collision. Opinions are those of the police officer. Even the insurance company will come to their own conclusion as to who is at fault, once it has conducted its own investigation. Certain times, the insurance company’s and police officer's opinions are different.

When a car accident claim is reported, the insurance company will conduct its own investigation. The insurance company asks for the police report right in the beginning. This is mainly because the report contains a good amount of information related to the car accident.