When you are involved in an auto accident, one of the most important steps you can take is to call 911 from the scene of the crash. If the collision resulted in injuries or significant property damage, a police officer should respond. Then, the responding officer should prepare a police accident report that documents key details.
But what if the police report is wrong?
Just like anyone else, police officers can and do make mistakes. If any of the information in the police report is incorrect, this is not an issue you should ignore. Insurance companies will not hesitate to use inaccurate information against you. An inaccurate police accident report could potentially prevent you from collecting the financial compensation you deserve.
The Chicago auto accident attorneys at Coplan + Crane can help you protect your rights and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries. We can help you obtain a copy of the crash report, review it for accuracy, and set the record straight.
Call 312-982-0588 today for a FREE case evaluation. We serve the victims of car accidents in Chicago, Oak Park, and all of Illinois.
While insurance companies are required to conduct an investigation when they receive an auto accident claim, insurers also rely heavily on police reports when making decisions regarding liability. If you have a claim for financial compensation after an auto accident, it is extremely important to ensure that the police report is accurate.
The insurance company will treat the police report as an official record of what happened, even if the information is not accurate. If they can use an inaccurate police report as a basis for denying liability, they will.
Some examples of inaccuracies that can lead to denial of auto accident victims’ insurance claims include:
Even if there is clear evidence that contradicts the responding officer’s statements in the police report, it is still important to ensure that the report is accurate. In many cases, seeking to have the police report corrected will require evidence from the accident scene or other sources, so it is important to hire a lawyer to conduct an investigation as soon as possible.
If the police report from your auto accident is inaccurate, you can (and should) seek to have it corrected. While correcting technical errors (i.e., incorrect license plate numbers or insurance policy numbers) will often be fairly straightforward, correcting substantive errors requires the ability to convince the responding officer that changes are warranted.
With this in mind, seeking to correct substantive errors in a police report after an accident generally involves:
You should hire a lawyer to review the police accident report and identify any additional errors or omissions. Your lawyer can also investigate the accident and preserve the evidence needed to dispute the police report and prove your legal rights.
After investigating the accident, your lawyer can gather the evidence needed to demonstrate that the police report needs to be revised. Depending on the circumstances, this may include forensic evidence, traffic or surveillance camera footage, medical records, and various other forms of documentation.
With sufficient evidence in hand, your lawyer can work with the responding officer to amend the police report as necessary. The report should include the officer’s name, ID number, and their beat or district. Additional avenues for contacting the officer may be found online (such as the website for the Chicago PD or Oak Park Police Department).
Along with correcting any inaccurate information, your lawyer can also seek to supplement the police report with any additional relevant information. This may include evidence that supports claims of fault against the other driver.
Bottom line: Correcting information in the police accident report is important. However, it is also just one step in the process of seeking the financial compensation you deserve.
Once you have corrected the police report, you will need to be able to convince the at-fault driver’s insurance company that you deserve compensation for your financial and non-financial losses. This requires experienced legal representation.
Coplan + Crane has extensive experience representing clients who have been injured or lost loved ones in car accidents throughout Chicagoland. We understand that the police report is a key building block in your case. If errors in the report pose a risk to getting the maximum compensation you deserve, our attorneys can work to have the report amended.
Do you need to correct the police accident report? If so, we encourage you to contact Coplan+ Crane promptly at 312-982-0588. Your initial consultation is FREE, and you pay nothing until we obtain a settlement or trial award on your behalf.
