When a car accident occurs in Marietta, the police usually respond to investigate the crash. The police then draft a police report for the parties involved to use for insurance and legal claims.
You will want your police report when pursuing compensation for your car accident injuries. Fortunately, our lawyers can help you explore several options to get your report quickly. Your police report will contain the important facts about the accident, some of which you might not remember without the report. Our team will use it to determine how the other driver caused the accident and if witnesses can be contacted. While your police report cannot usually be evidence in a trial, it is critical in our negotiations with the insurance company.
For your free case review with our Marietta personal injury attorneys, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (470) 287-3070.
How to Acquire Your Police Report for a Car Accident in Marietta, GA
After getting injured in a car accident, your police report will be critical to recovering compensation. Luckily, you have a number of ways to get a copy of this report. Getting the report online is usually the quickest option, but you can elect to get it by mail or in person. Our Marietta car accident lawyers can help you with the process and how to use it in your claim for damages. You can review the following options below:
Getting Your Report Online
You can obtain your Marietta police report conveniently online by visiting the Marietta Police Department’s website and using LexisNexis’s BuyCrash.com to purchase your report. When you access, select the state and jurisdiction, meaning the law enforcement agency that investigated the accident.
You will also need to provide your name and the date of the incident, as well as either your report number, the car’s identification number (VIN), or your driver’s license number. You will need to provide your name and the date of the incident, as well as either your report number, the car’s identification number (VIN), or your driver’s license number. However, any one of these last three will suffice, as you do not need all of them to get your report.
Currently, BuyCrash.com reports cost $13 per copy.
If you do not want to go through the steps on BuyCrash.com, it might be easier to email the Marietta Police Department’s Records Division directly. First, you will need to complete a records request form, which can be downloaded here. Click to page three and scroll down until you see a document titled “Report Request Worksheet,” and click on it to begin the download. The form will be in Microsoft Word format, which you can fill out directly.
Make sure all fields are answered accurately and the appropriate boxes are checked off. Once you have completed the form, you can attach it and email it to policeopenrecords@mariettaga.gov. Allow a day or two for the Records Division to respond. However, reach out to our team if there is any delay in getting your report.
Getting Your Report in Person
If it is more convenient, you can also get your Marietta police report in person by visiting the MPD Records Division. They are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. You can visit them during those hours at 240 Lemon Street, Marietta, GA 30060.
If you arrive with a copy of the request form linked above already filled out, your visit will likely be faster. It is also important because the Records Division does not charge a fee for the first 15 minutes of the work they need to do to get your report. Thus, your police report might be free if it takes less than 15 minutes to gather. After that, an hourly rate will be applied. Still, the report should not cost too much. You can call them ahead of your visit at 770-794-5308 to determine how long it might take to get your report.
Getting Your Report by Mail
If you prefer to get your police report through the mail, our lawyers can help prepare your request form and mail it to the Records Division. You will need to complete a copy of the report request form above and mail it to the following address:
Marietta Police Department – Records
240 Lemon Street
Marietta, GA 30060
You might also want to call the number above to ask how much money should be sent with your mailed-in request or if any payment is required at all.
Getting Your Report by Fax
While faxing documents is a bit outdated and not likely to be your first choice, your circumstances might be such that faxing your requests is the most convenient way. If so, you can fax a completed request form to 770-794-5301.
What Information is Included in a Police Car Accident Report in Marietta, GA?
Police reports contain a wealth of information. This makes them critical to recovering compensation for injuries sustained in a car accident. The following are some of the details that will be included in your report and will help you prove your claim:
The Parties Involved
The report should list any parties involved in the accident, including you, the other driver, and any witnesses who stopped to help. Importantly, it will include the contact and insurance information for most of these people. This way, we will know what insurance company to file your claim with and who might be able to offer testimony to support your claims.
Accident Details
The report will also contain the pertinent facts about the accident. It can be easy to forget the date and time of your accident when discussing it in a lawsuit, which could be months later. The police report can help remind you of these details and other important facts, like what the weather was that day and the road conditions at the time. It also provides a good overview for our lawyers to familiarize themselves with the details of the crash.
Damage Details
Most police reports have a section just to describe the damages. This will give our team a good idea of the severity of your accident. This section should also contain a description of your injuries.
Officer Observations
Many police reports conclude with a narrative section in which the investigating officer records the events of the accident as described to them. The narrative section can include observations the officers made themselves, like the damage to the vehicles and road conditions. It will also include any statements the officer got from drivers and witnesses. Citations for traffic violations will also usually be noted here. In most cases, it will include a diagram of the accident scene.
Our Marietta, GA Car Accident Attorneys Can Support Your Claim Today
Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras by calling (470) 287-3070 to receive your free case analysis with our Atlanta, GA car accident lawyers.