A lot of things can happen after a car crash. There’s a good chance that you will be pretty focused on making sure you are safe. However, there are also some other things that you may want to keep in mind right after a collision. If you have even the slightest idea that you may want to file a lawsuit in the future, it can be beneficial to start gathering information then and there. When doing this, it’s always a good idea to speak to police officers who respond to the accident and tell them your version of events. This will be used in any police reports made shortly after the incident, and you can use that report to help your future lawsuit.
To obtain your police report after a car crash in Georgia, you have a couple of options. First, you can get your report directly from the Savannah Police Department. Second, you can obtain it through the online service Buycrash. Finally, you can go through the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and request your report from them. You will be required to give details about your accident, which is one of the reasons it is important to get that information right after the crash takes place if you can.
Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Savannah car accident lawyers at (470) 287-3070 for a free case review.
How Do I Get Police Reports after a Savannah, GA Car Crash?
Police reports can be very useful to our Savannah personal injury lawyers when working to build your case, so many plaintiffs look to get those reports to their attorneys right away. If you’re looking to obtain your police report after a car crash, you have a number of options available to you. First, you can go to the Savannah PD website and go through the process outline there. You can email the Savannah PD, or you can go there in person to pick up your report after it has been processed. Alternatively, you can go to the Georgia Department of Transportation website and request your police report using the BuyCrash. Once you are on the BuyCrash web page, you will need to provide information as prompted. Our car accident attorneys can help you with this process if you have any questions, concerns, or hangups.
If a different police department responded to your crash, you can call or mail that police department to request a report. Whatever method you choose to get your report, it may take some time for the police report to be finalized, so there is a pretty high chance it will not be available right away. Of course, our attorneys can work with you and make things go as smoothly as possible.
Do You Need to Report a Car Accident to the Police in Georgia?
Many people may be wondering whether they need to report an accident to law enforcement at all, especially if it is only a minor fender-bender. Under O.G.C.A. § 40-6-273, you are required to report any accident that results in injury, death, or property damage amounting to at least $500. When people think of car crash injuries, they often think of the nastiest ones, like broken bones, cuts, burns, and others. However,
How Do Savannah, GA Police Reports Help My Car Accident Claims?
Police reports can be invaluable resources when pursuing a car accident lawsuit. Although they usually do not get used as direct evidence, police reports have many other uses that can be beneficial to you in dealing with the aftermath of a car crash.
Determining Liability
Police reports contain information as told to a police officer right after an accident happens. They also often contain the responding officer’s initial thoughts and impressions about the crash, including who they believe is at fault in the accident. This information can be helpful to your case, even if the report itself cannot be used as legal proof of fault.
Witness Identification
Police reports will also have the names of people who saw the accident happen. This can be used to show potential witnesses who may be able to testify on your behalf at trial. Alternatively, it will let our lawyers know about potential witnesses the defense may want to call so we can prepare for them in advance.
Insurance Claims
Even if you can’t introduce crash reports as evidence in court, they can be used to help bolster an insurance claim. For example, if you are trying to get someone’s insurance company to cover you, a police report suggesting that their insured is at fault may make them more cooperative, as the insurance company will probably want to avoid a lawsuit and there is some indication that their insured is in the wrong.
Filling in Info Gaps
Police reports can also be useful for filling in any gaps in information that you have when building your claim. For example, if you are badly hurt and get evacuated in an ambulance, you are not going to be able to meticulously take notes on the aftermath of your car crash, but you can still get important information from a police report. Even if you are able to stick around after the crash and take photos, record videos, and talk to witnesses, there is no way you are going to be able to get every piece of information relevant to your case. Police reports can help fill information gaps and bolster the facts you already have to support your lawsuit.
Speak to Our Savannah, GA Car Accident Lawyers Today
If you have questions or concerns about your situation, call (470) 287-3070 and talk to Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Atlanta car accident lawyers today.