Can a police report be changed after an accident? It is possible to change a police report after an accident, but it is not guaranteed. Since the information included in a police report can affect the outcome of a car accident claim, ensuring the report’s accuracy is important.
If you see the need for changes, an Arlington personal injury lawyer can help you make the amendment request and manage your case overall.
How to Get a Police Report Changed After an Accident
Connect with a car accident attorney for help requesting changes to your police report. You can make the request on your own, but it will likely get more attention if it comes from a lawyer. To get a police report changed after an accident, you will need to:
- Request the change as soon as possible. Contact the officer who made the report as soon as you notice the error, and make your request for an amendment respectfully.
- For factual errors, submit documentation to prove the mistake. If your license plate number is wrong, submit a copy of your registration.
- Draft a new statement. If the officer refuses to change their report, you can write a new statement explaining the original report’s error and ask to have your new statement attached to the report.
- Provide medical documentation. If you were injured in the accident, what you said at the scene may have been influenced by your emotional or altered state, and proving those injuries with documentation may prompt the officer to accept your requested changes.
We can help you make your request for changes or help you after a request is refused. If you get a refusal, it is best not to fight too aggressively or continue calling the officer. Let us handle the follow-up.
How to Challenge Errors in a Police Report
Police reports are important factors in car accidents, but they are not the only factors. Of course, it is best if you are working with an accurate report that provides an accurate account of what happened and shows the other party’s negligence. Still, do not give up on your fight because of report inaccuracies.
The role of car accident lawyers, the role of lawyers in truck accidents, or lawyers handling any other type of motor-vehicle or personal injury claim involves more than police reports. Our job, and we do it well, is to build a strong case using various sources of convincing evidence. To challenge errors in a police report and strengthen your case, we can call on accident reconstructionists and other experts.
The role of expert witnesses in car accident cases is significant. Accident reconstructionists are engineers–they use scientific approaches to determine the cause and sequence of accident events. Medical professionals can also provide insight into how injuries occur. Expert testimony that contradicts an officer’s error can carry tremendous weight and work in your favor.
Information Included in an Accident Report
The information included in the police report covers the facts of the situation but may also include subjective remarks from the responding officer. Facts are either correct or incorrect. For example, your name, the date of the accident, and the type of car you drive are matters of fact. A report may include subjective information–opinions offered by witnesses or conclusions drawn by the officer.
Specific information recorded in an accident report includes:
- The precise time, date, and location
- Driver’s statements of how the accident happened
- Diagrams noting the position of the vehicles
- Witness statement and contact details
- A description of the property damage
- Details of victims’ injuries
- Details of traffic citations issued, if applicable
- The offer’s narrative of the events, which could present opinions regarding fault
- Photographs (in some cases) from the scene
You can get a copy of the police report from law enforcement, usually within a few days of the accident, and accident reports are public records. Hopefully, all the information is correct. If it is not, we can help you have the police report changed after your accident.
Reasons for Changing a Police Report After an Accident
The consequences of a car accident are stressful enough, and recognizing errors on a police report only adds to the frustration. Accident scenes can be chaotic, and that chaos can contribute to errors. In the midst of the noise and action, the reporting officer might have heard something wrong and added that comment to the official record.
It is essential that your police report is as accurate as possible. Your personal injury claim relies heavily on the information provided, including who is at fault, if you contributed to the accident in any way, damage at the scene, and if people were treated at the scene or refused medical care.
If any of the details are erroneous in some way, it could damage your accident claim, potentially leading to a denial or reduced compensation.
Common Errors Found in Police Reports After an Accident
Errors can happen for various reasons. The officers mistakenly left out crucial details, or perhaps you required immediate medical care, so the officer only got details from the other party involved. Whatever the case, be sure to examine the accident report thoroughly to ensure accuracy.
Some common errors in a police report that need to be changed may include:
- Mixups in identifying vehicle occupants as drivers or passengers
- Incorrect car details–license plate numbers, make, and model
- Inaccuracies in the property damage description
- Omission of or inaccuracies in the description of your injuries
- Errors in your statement to the officer
- Incorrect facts about the accident–the date, time, location
- Incorrect details about how the accident happened
Factual errors are easier to amend. You can provide evidence to prove the make or model of a car, for example. Subjective information is more difficult to change as it requires providing conflicting information. It is worth seeking change since insurance companies use police reports to determine compensation.
How to Access Your Police Report
The Texas Transportation Code requires law enforcement to submit a written crash report to the Texas Department of Transportation when an accident causes injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more. The transportation code also details when drivers must call law enforcement to an accident scene.
You can call the precinct to get the report from the responding officer. You can also access the report from the crash reports and records service offered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
We Are Ready to Build Your Car Accident Case
Sometimes, a police report can be changed after an accident. The Texas Law Dog will work diligently to make that happen.
Even if you receive an unsatisfactory response to that request, our team can still work to build a strong car accident case for you. Reach out for a free consultation today. We are ready to help.
