How to Get an Accident Report Revised

If you’ve been in a car accident , one of the most important documents to have is the police accident report. When you receive your copy of the report, it is extremely important that you thoroughly read over all the information to verify that it is correct. The police report of your accident is often an insurance companies primary tool for determining who is at fault and assigning responsibility. If you spot an error, however, you may not know how to proceed to correct it. Follow the steps below, and you should be able to come away with an accurate report.

If the error is a minor mistake involving readily verifiable facts of the situation, contacting the police officer may be all that the insurance company requires to mend the report. This should work well in cases where someone has transposed the digits in a phone number or driver’s license, misspelled a name, or in correctly identified an intersection.

A careful search of the document should reveal the name of the police officer who made the report. Call the officer and explain what the problem is. Maintain a calm and professional tone of voice throughout this process.

The officer is a professional doing his or her job, and all professionals realize mistakes occur and may require correction from time to time. Maintaining a professional demeanor will help keep any negative emotions from influencing the process. Be prepared to back up your statements with the evidence that establishes the facts.

If the phone call was not enough to bring about the correction, it is time to put your concerns in writing. Carefully explain in writing what you believe are errors in the report or what requires further clarification. Provide as much evidence as you can to support your assertion. Include photographs of the location or vehicle in question if possible. Include statements from other witnesses to the accident that clearly contradict what others may have said. 

Again, keep the tone of the letter professional. You are providing clarification and evidence to support your assertions, not attacking the credibility of the officer. Stick closely to the facts and avoid any emotional appeals. The fact that this error may cost you hundreds of dollars is significant to you but is not relevant to whether the report’s facts or your assertions are correct.

If the letter still does not resolve the situation and the issue is serious enough, you may need to go to court to present the evidence. This is an extreme measure reserved for the most serious cases, but, in some cases, it’s a necessity. If all other means have failed and the matter warrants such measures, having your attorney argue your case in front of an impartial judge may be your best recourse.

Challenging a police report may seem daunting, but, by maintaining a professional attitude and sticking closely to the facts, these steps should result in getting the correction you need.

The post How to Get an Accident Report Revised appeared first on GES Injury Attorneys.