Getting a police report for your crash might not always be necessary, but having the report can fill in a lot of gaps in information that you might need to prove your case in an insurance claim or lawsuit. Our lawyers can help you get a report after your accident, but if you want to get one on your own, here’s how to do it:
The Brookhaven police have their own records, and you can usually request a report in person or by mail. You can also get it online through BuyCrash.com, but be sure to use that website and not other sites that Brookhaven has not specifically partnered with. In any case, there is a fee to get your report. Additionally, if a different police department handled your accident case, then they might have your report instead.
For help with your case, call our Brookhaven personal injury lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.
Getting Your Crash Report Online from the Brookhaven, GA Police Department
If the Brookhaven police department was the department that responded to your accident, then the report should be available online. According to their website, the Brookhaven PD partners with BuyCrash.com to make reports available to people online.
If you want to get this report, you will need one of either the report number, your car’s VIN (usually found on the car itself, as well as on your insurance information), or your driver’s license number. You will also need to fill in your last name and the date of the crash.
When ordering a report online through this system, there is a fee, but then you get a digital copy of the report that you can print, send to others, and keep for your records.
If you aren’t comfortable getting your report online and don’t want to go through the additional hassle of going in person to get a report or sending mail with the required payment, our Brookhaven car accident lawyers can get your report for you as part of our services.
Getting a Police Report in Brookhaven in Person or By Mail
According to their website, the Brookhaven PD also makes reports available in person at the police station or by mail.
To get a report in person, you can go visit the station directly at 1793 Briarwood Rd, Brookhaven, GA 30329. Their records office is open 8am-4:30pm, so make sure to visit before they close and give them plenty of time to look up the record before closing time or else you might need to come back another day to pick it up.
To get a report by mail, you simply fill out a form (also available on their site) and mail it to the same address listed above, along with payment. You also need to include a return envelope already filled out with your name and address and already pre-stamped.
How Much Does a Police Report for a Car Crash in Brookhaven, GA Cost?
If you get the report online, there is a fee, but the police department’s website does not specifically list how much it costs. If you go in person or request a report by mail, it costs $5.
When you mail your request, there needs to be a certified check or a money order filled out to the “Brookhaven Police Department” included in the envelope. You also need the cost of postage and return postage on the pre-filled return envelope you include. If you pay in person, you have more options: you can pay with a certified check or money order, but you can also pay with credit card or cash.
To pay online, you will have to use a card.
Will the Brookhaven Police Have My Car Accident Report?
If your crash happened in Brookhaven, then the Brookhaven PD was likely the one to respond to your accident and fill out the report. However, it is possible that you might have had the Dekalb County Sherrif respond to your accident. Alternatively, if the accident happened in another town, their local police might have responded instead.
A lot of local Georgia towns in Dekalb County use BuyCrash, and you can find more information about getting a report there or on the specific police department’s website. However, you should be sure to check with the police department or their website to see what online service they use, as there are other services out there. Some services try to look like legitimate sites to give you police reports, but they ultimately give you a redacted or partial report instead.
If you do not know what department the responding officer worked for or you were knocked out or rushed straight to the hospital after your crash, you might not know what police department handled your case. If that is your situation, then leave it to us; our lawyers can find the report for you.
Do I Need a Police Report for My Brookhaven, GA Car Accident Case?
In many cases, you do not need to personally get the report yourself. Our lawyers can get a report for you, and insurance companies are usually able to get the report, too. Especially with reports available online, it is often unnecessary for you to do the added legwork of tracking down the report on your own.
Our lawyers will usually need to review the report to make sure all of the information out there is part of your case. However, much of the information you might have collected at the scene of the crash will overlap with the information in the report. Police reports become much more helpful if you were not able to collect information after the crash, such as in situations where you were unconscious or went right to the hospital and had no time to talk to witnesses or collect evidence and photos.
Reach Out to Our Brookhaven, GA Car Accident Attorneys Today
For your free case evaluation, call (410) 694-7291 to talk with the Brookhaven car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.