Filing a police report is your number one resource for defining and documenting your case. Without an accurate police report, your chances of recovering compensation for your damages drop dramatically!
Many people don’t believe they need to file a police report for minor accidents, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It is even more vital that you file a police report for accidents with fewer damages than accidents with more injuries. This is because the police will look at accidents with more damages much more closely and, therefore, all the case details will be accounted for.
Three ways to file a police report
In addition to defining your case facts, a police report will represent a fact-based, unbiased third party for your case. This can become more beneficial than evidence in some cases.
Sometimes the police don’t show up unless you call them. If the police do not immediately respond to your accident, you still have three options to file a police report:
- Call the police and request that they report to your accident scene
- Call the police and request that they meet you at the hospital
- Go to the police department within 24 hours of your accident
File your police report within 24 hours of your accident
If you don’t file your report within 24 hours of your accident, it may hurt your chances of recovering damages from your injuries.
Here are some significant reasons you need to file a police report:
- Police reports prove that the defendant was at the scene of the accident. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many defendants try to claim they weren’t even there.
- A police report is required to recover damages resulting from an uninsured motorist. If the defendant does not have insurance, you can still make a claim, but only if there was a police report.
- A police report is required to recover damages resulting from a hit-and-run accident.
Filing a police report is critical in hit-and-runs accidents
Filing a police report is critical to defining any case, but it is imperative in hit-and-run cases. Sadly, if you are the victim of a hit-and-run and don’t file an official police report, your chances of recovery become extremely slim.
It is crucial that you don’t rely on a witness’ word when identifying a license plate number. You are wise to talk to witnesses, and their accounts may help you, but filing a police report is your best option at finding the hit-and-run culprit.
If a witness writes down an incorrect license plate number of a fleeing vehicle, and there is no police report, the car owner to whom the wrong license plate belongs will quickly prove that they were not at the scene of the car accident. As a result, your case will have no grounds for recovery, and you will not receive fair and just compensation for your damages.
Plus, you’ll be implicating an innocent party in your case.
Police reports will help you win your case
Filing a formal police report is perhaps one of the most important steps you can take on the road to recovery.
A police report can make or break your case! Make sure you file one within 24 hours!
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