The police responded to your accident, investigated the accident scene and issued a report. That report could indicate one of the three things. It could find that you were at fault for the accident, it could find that another driver was at fault for the accident, or it could be inconclusive about who was at fault.
What the Police Report Means to Your Case
It is important to get a copy of your police report after a car accident, because police reports are considered by insurance companies, attorneys, and courts. Unless there is evidence to the contrary, the police officer who investigated your accident was trained to do this job and was independent of any of the parties involved in the crash. Additionally, the police officer may have been the only one who was not directly involved in the accident to investigate the accident scene.
However, sometimes police officers are wrong. If the police report is unclear as to who was at fault or if the police report is incorrect about who was at fault, then you need to take action immediately.
An Incorrect or Inconclusive Police Report May Be Overcome
If the police report favors another driver, then you can be sure that that driver’s insurance company is going to rely heavily on the report during settlement negotiations or at trial. In order to prove what really happened and get the recovery that you deserve, you are going to have to do your own investigation and provide evidence that supports your arguments.
An experienced car accident lawyer can use the legal discovery process and expert witnesses to find out what really happened in your car accident and, if appropriate, to fight for your fair and just recovery regardless of what the police report says. To find out more about how to protect your own rights, please start a live chat with us today.
