Police reports can be highly valuable to your attorney during a car accident lawsuit against a negligent driver when they are correct. However, when a police report incorrectly names a victim as a responsible party, Maryland victims must dispute the report.
If you were injured in a car accident in Maryland that was not your fault, and police officers named you as the responsible party, you should dispute the report. To dispute a police report, your attorney can speak with the reporting officer and help you file your own report.
Your attorney can also complete a thorough investigation and compile evidence to support your claim, like medical records and security camera footage, to dispute a police report in Maryland.
Our lawyers are here to help you dispute inaccurate police reports and recover damages against a negligent driver. For a free case evaluation with the Maryland car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call us today at (410) 694-7291.
Reasons to Dispute a Police Report for a Car Accident in Maryland
Maryland car accident victims know all too well how important a police report can be to strengthen their claim against a negligent driver. You may wonder why you would ever need to dispute a police report after a car accident in Maryland. If police officers incorrectly record information, like fault, victims may need to dispute a police report.
Although police reports aren’t considered evidence in a Maryland lawsuit, they can still help to support your claim against a negligent driver. When Maryland police officers incorrectly record that a victim was at fault instead of a negligent driver, that can weaken your claim.
In the chaotic aftermath of a car accident, it’s not out of the question that a police officer may improperly record information. If, when you or your Baltimore car accident attorney collect a police report, you notice inaccuracies, you may need to dispute a report.
Doing nothing to dispute a police report isn’t wise, especially if you plan to sue a negligent driver for damages. If you ignore inaccuracies, a defendant’s legal counsel can use an incorrect police report to weaken your compensation claim.
How Can You Argue a Police Report for a Car Accident in Maryland?
Disputing an inaccurate police report after a car accident in Maryland is crucial. If you don’t, then your Maryland car accident attorney won’t be able to use a police report to support your claim against a negligent driver.
If a police report is inaccurate, there are a few things Maryland victims can do. You can speak to officers and ask them to amend a report or file your report with the proper department.
Victims can also gather other evidence to dispute a police report’s contents, like seeking medical attention and gathering security camera footage.
Speak to Police Officers
Sometimes, inaccuracies on a police report are just a simple mistake. Allow your experienced lawyer to speak to the reporting police officers to ask them to amend their incorrect report. Law enforcement officials may recognize their error in naming a victim as the at-fault party and work to correct it.
File Your Own Report
Maryland victims may be able to file their own report with the proper police department once they’ve realized inaccuracies on an accident report. Some Maryland police departments allow victims to report incidents online, while others require victims to go in person to report an accident. Our attorneys can accompany you when filing your own police report consistent with your account of an accident’s events.
Seek Medical Attention
After an accident in Maryland, it’s crucial to seek medical attention. Depending on your injuries, a doctor may be able to corroborate your claim that a negligent driver was at fault. Suppose you cannot dispute a police report before you sue a responsible driver for compensation. In that case, your lawyer can use your medical records to show that a negligent driver’s actions caused your injuries.
Gather Security Camera Footage
There is other evidence you and your Rockville car accident attorney can compile in order to dispute an inaccurate police report. Ideally, there will be a security camera or traffic camera footage of an accident.
If your Maryland car accident occurred on a major road or near local businesses, it’s possible that the incident was caught on tape. Accessing security camera footage can allow your lawyer to show that a negligent driver was at fault for an accident and not a victim, as a police report incorrectly states.
Speak to Eyewitnesses
When there are inaccuracies in a police report, one of the best things Maryland car accident victims can do is speak to eyewitnesses. Allow your attorney to interview witnesses to your car accident and record their version of events.
If a negligent driver was clearly at fault, witnesses might be able to attest to that fact and solidify your dispute against a police report.
Hire an Attorney
If a police report for your Maryland car accident is inaccurate and incorrectly names you, the victim, as the at-fault party, you should hire an attorney. Our Towson car accident lawyers have the resources to perform an investigation into a car accident and uncover evidence that supports your dispute against a police report.
Some car accident victims might not see the value in hiring an attorney to dispute a police report, especially if they plan to file an insurance claim and not a lawsuit.
However, Maryland is an at-fault state, meaning a negligent driver’s insurance will look for any reason not to pay what you’re due. Insurance companies look at police reports, and a report that incorrectly names you as the at-fault party can impact your settlement amount.
Call Our Maryland Attorneys for Help Disputing a Police Report Today
An inaccurate police report shouldn’t impact your chances of recovering compensation after a car accident in Maryland. For a free case evaluation with the Dundalk car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call us today at (410) 694-7291.