When police respond to the scene of an accident, part of the officer’s job is to note who is involved in the crash, whether the drivers have insurance and whose negligence caused the collision. Some other details may also be necessary, depending on the facts of the crash. Unfortunately, accident scenes are sometimes chaotic, and the police officer responding to the crash could make a mistake on the report.
If you received a copy of a police report after a crash with an error on it, you may be able to get the mistake fixed so it does not negatively impact your case for compensation.
Our car crash lawyers in Fort Worth are prepared to help you through the process of getting that error fixed and helping you pursue the compensation you need for your damages. The consultation is free and there are no upfront fees.
Types of Errors in a Police Report
Even a minor mistake on an accident report could impact your case. There are two types of errors that may appear on a police report: errors of fact or observation/opinion from those at the scene.
A factual error is something that may be easily corrected, such as the misspelling of a name or the wrong license plate number on a vehicle. Even though an error can be fixed it could still hurt your claim, though. For example, an error on the insurance policy of the at-fault driver could significantly slow down the claim process.
You may also consider some information regarding the police officer’s observation of the crash scene or a statement from a witness a mistake. These are known as non-factual errors, as disproving them could be more complicated. Fortunately, these errors can be corrected.
What Steps Can I Take to Get the Error Fixed?
There are several ways to go about getting a police report corrected or changed. For factual errors, the process is more straightforward than for non-factual errors.
If you received a copy of your police report and your vehicle or personal information is incorrect, you would need to get into contact with the police department that responded to the crash. Generally, these factual errors will be corrected quickly and without issue. Another option for correcting a factual error is to contact the Texas Department of Transportation.
Either way, be sure to request an updated copy of the police report, whether digital or print, and get the name and contact information of the person you spoke to at the department in case the issue is not quickly rectified.
For non-factual errors on a report, you are going to need to provide a lot more evidence of your version of the facts, as the police department may push back on the issue. You may be able to provide:
- Photos from the scene
- Witness affidavits
- Dashcam/surveillance video footage
- Vehicle’s black box
Not only is this evidence important to helping correct an error on a police report, but also in helping prove your case to the insurance company during the claim process. However, it can be difficult to get the evidence you need on your own. Especially if your injuries are severe enough to leave you incapacitated for an extended period. This is when having an attorney on your side may be beneficial.
Our attorneys have the resources to help you get the errors on a police report corrected and provide the evidence you need to build a strong case for compensation.
Call Anderson & Cummings Today
With over 50 years of combined experience, the attorneys at Anderson & Cummings have been helping injury victims recover maximum compensation. We have successfully recovered millions on behalf of our clients without charging any upfront fees.
The initial consultation is free, and we do not charge you anything while we work on your case. We only get paid if we win.
Call (817) 920-9000 today to learn more.