When victims need compensation from negligent drivers, getting crash reports from police departments can help their recoveries in more ways than one.
Calling 911 after an accident will alert law enforcement to the crash site. Officers will then make an accident report, which our lawyers can help you get in the days following the crash in Augusta. When speaking to officers at the collision scene, ask for the report number, as this can make locating the document easier in the future. Expect to wait a few days for officers to finish your report. As you wait, you can prepare certain details about the accident, like the location, date, and time, since you might need to provide that and more to get your report. Reports are often available online or in person from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in Augusta. When we get your report, we’ll analyze it to ensure it is accurate and then see what information we can use to help your recovery.
To set up a free and confidential case assessment from Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call our Augusta, GA car accident lawyers today at (410) 694-7291.
Steps in Getting and Using a Police Auto Accident Report in Augusta, GA
Obtaining a police report is a multi-step process that starts with calling 911. As we wait for officers to finish and file the report for your crash, our lawyers can help you gather the necessary information to get the report in the future, whether online or in person. Once we have this document, we will review it and see how we might use it to support your case.
Call 911
Law enforcement might only come to the scene if you call 911 to report an accident. Because reporting auto accidents that cause injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more is mandatory, according to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, victims should dial 911 themselves if they are physically able. If your injuries are too severe to call the police yourself, ask eyewitnesses or the other driver for help, but do not assume they will call 911 unless prompted.
Get the Report Number
Officers should give you the number that corresponds with your report at the accident site. With this number, victims can more easily locate their reports online from BuyCrash.com or in person from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. If you don’t know the report number or did not ask for it at the accident site, don’t worry, as you can use other information to obtain your report.
Wait Several Days
Although officers might take a few days to finalize and file incident reports for auto accidents, if it has been over a week since the crash and your report is still not ready, our Augusta, GA car accident lawyers can contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to ask about the reasons for the delay. If police officers need additional information from you to finish the report, we can help you give it to them in the days following the accident.
Gather Identifying Information
However you ultimately get the report, you must provide identifying information about the accident and yourself to demonstrate your involvement. For example, you’ll have to give your first and last name, driver’s license number, and details about the accident, like its date, time, or location. Remember, if you have the report number, this might be sufficient to locate your accident report and basic details like your name.
Go Online
Crash reports from police departments in Georgia get sent to BuyCrash.com when finished. When you get to the site, you can input the necessary information, and your report will come up if it has been filed online. You can then download the report for a small fee. Make sure you download the report after purchasing so that you always have a copy of it. Then, give a copy to our attorneys so we can review it in preparation for your car accident lawsuit in Augusta.
Go in Person
You can also visit the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to obtain the report you need. If you want to get a paper copy of your report, you can do so during normal business hours. You can call (706) 821-1010 to schedule an appointment with the Records Division to get the report. When you get there, give police staff identifying information about the crash so they can locate the report quickly.
Review the Report
After we get the report, we will review it with you. Accident reports contain a lot of information. First and foremost, they document a crash. Officers will identify all involved drivers, describe their vehicles, note property damage, and include other important information about the accident, like the point of impact, the first harmful event, and likely causes. Officers might also draw diagrams of accidents or include their own impressions of a crash.
Other sections of accident reports focus on victims and their injuries. Make sure you tell officers if you sustained any injuries in the accident. While you may not know your exact injuries before getting medical treatment, tell officers you are hurt. Officers may note in the report if you needed emergency medical treatment at the accident location.
Police officers might also talk to eyewitnesses and record their names and information. Using the police report as a reference, our attorneys can identify and locate eyewitnesses whose testimony could help you prove the defendant’s fault for your damages and injuries.
While reviewing the police report can lead to useful evidence or information, it can also alert us to inaccuracies. If officers made errors in the report, we can identify them and inform the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Call Our Accident Lawyers About Your Case in Augusta, GA Now
Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras to discuss your case for free with our Augusta, GA personal injury lawyers at (410) 694-7291.