A police report may help you get a recovery for your car accident injuries, but you still require legal counsel

Yes, you need a lawyer if you have been hurt in a car accident even if the police report places all of the liability for the crash on another driver. If you fail to talk to an attorney then you may not get the full and fair recovery that you deserve, even with such a favorable police report.

Here’s Why a Lawyer Is Important

You need to take action to protect your legal rights because:

  • Police reports are not definitive. Police report on the findings of their accident investigation. The findings that are included in the police report are important and may be considered in the resolution of your claim, but they are not conclusive about the cause of the crash. Other evidence may be considered in settlement negotiations or court cases, and that evidence may be more persuasive than the findings of the police report.
  • Police reports do not initiate settlement talks or court proceedings. The police report may have found the other driver responsible for the crash, but that does not initiate any kind of recovery for you. The police do not have the authority to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit on your behalf. Instead, you are going to have to take the initiative to pursue your own recovery.

That said, the police report may be influential in your recovery if it is used correctly.

Request a Copy of Your Police Report and Schedule a Meeting With Your Lawyer

It is important to know what is in your police report. After a crash, you should request a copy of your police report and you should share the report with your attorney. An experienced lawyer can use the information in the police report to further the investigation into the crash and to anticipate the defenses that may be raised so that you can get the recovery that you deserve.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.