Years ago, if you were involved in a car accident, you and the other driver would usually agree to just trade insurance information and call it a day. The only time people called the police was if the accident was very serious. Sometimes people would call the cops if they felt the other driver was going to take off or give them false contact information.
Today, it’s no longer acceptable to forego calling the police. Not only does the law require that you report any accidents involving property damage of more than $500, but it’s in your best interest to contact the authorities. Your Albany car accident lawyer is going to need a copy of the police report in order to prove your case. Without it, your Georgia injury lawyer’s job is going to be a lot harder than it has to be.
Here, we will discuss why it’s so important that you contact the police immediately after your car accident. We will also explain why your attorney desperately needs a copy of the police report in order to prove fault. Finally, we will describe the information contained in the police report.
If you have recently been involved in a car crash and need help proving your case, contact our office directly. We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation, so it will cost you nothing to get the opinion of an experienced associate.
The Police Will Come Out and Do a Thorough Investigation of the Crash
The obvious reason to call the police after your car accident is that they’ll investigate the crash. They look to see who they believe was at fault and how the accident transpired. They will take account of the road conditions and the weather conditions to see if something else played a role in the accident. They’ll also check to see if either driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.
The other good thing about the police coming to the scene is that they’ll make sure an ambulance transports you to the emergency room. Even if the crash is minor, it’s important that you get checked out by a doctor. This is the only way to know if you’ve suffered any sort of injury. It’s also the only way your attorney can prove that you suffered injuries and are therefore entitled to compensation.
The Officers Will Put Their Findings into a Final Report
Once the officers complete their investigation, they will put their findings into their final report. A copy of this police report will be available to you or your Albany car accident lawyer within a day or two. Once you have the report, you can start to build your case.
Without this report, your Georgia injury lawyer will have no idea if there are any witnesses to the crash. They’ll also have no idea if the other party was issued a citation when the officers appeared on the scene. This is the sort of information that not only makes it easier to win your case but can also increase your damages.
Your Albany Car Accident Lawyer Will Need a Copy of the Police Report
When you meet with your Georgia injury lawyer for the first time, they will ask you for a copy of the police report. This is why we recommend that you get a copy immediately after the crash so that you’ll have one available when you meet with your attorney. If you’re not sure how to get a copy of the police report in your area, you can go online and do a search. Most counties and municipalities allow you to request a copy of the report either in person or online.
One of the reasons you want to bring this report to your initial consultation is so that your Albany car accident lawyer has a starting point. Your lawyer will need to do their own investigation so they can see if they can determine fault. Whether or not they accept your case will depend on whether they think they can prove your case. The police report will go a long way toward doing that.
What Kind of Information is Included in the Report?
Now that we’ve explained how important the police report is, it’s probably a good time to explain what sort of information is contained in that report. Some of the information contained in the police report includes the following:
- name and contact information for both drivers involved in the crash
- contact information and statements for any eyewitnesses
- description of the road conditions
- description of the accident scene
- pictures of the accident site
- pictures of the damaged vehicles
- statements made by either driver
- notation of any traffic tickets or rests made at the scene
Most, if not all this information will be useful for your Georgia injury lawyer. Without this report, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for them to prove fault. It will turn into a he-said, she-said matter and that’s never good for anybody. Your best bet is to just call the cops and let them do their job.
Don’t Make Your Georgia Injury Lawyer’s Job Any Harder than It Has to Be
If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident, we suggest you contact our office and schedule your free, initial consultation. Sit down with one of our Georgia car accident lawyers and let them review your case. You also want to make sure that you bring certain items to your first appointment.
One of these items will be a copy of the police report. Once your attorney has a chance to go over this report, they will have a much better understanding of who caused the accident.
In order to get you the compensation you feel you deserve, your George injury lawyer is going to need to prove two things. First, they will need to prove fault. The best way to do this is by utilizing the police report.
The second thing you’ll need to prove are your damages. If they’re able to do both of these things, then there’s a good chance you’ll receive compensation for your injuries.
We offer all new clients a free consultation, so we suggest you contact our office soon and schedule date and time to come in.
