Serious car accidents will undoubtedly draw police, fire, and EMTs to the scene. In most cases, a police report will be completed as part of the procedure. While this seems pretty standard, many people don’t realize that you should complete a police report even for a minor vehicle accident or accidents causing only minor injuries. It is important to complete a police report because it verifies accident information for your insurance company, and also will be an important part of any civil claims arising out of the car accident.
A police report is part of a standard process completed by police officers when they respond to a car accident. It will provide a description of the accident, individuals, and vehicles involved, injuries reported, and detail of any written tickets. Keep in mind it is your right to get a police report following a car accident and local law enforcement agencies are happy to provide you with this report. However, the report is not immediately available.
After the officer has completed their initial report, he or she will then need to complete the final version report within the guidelines of the agency. Next, the law enforcement agency is required to submit the report to the Michigan Department of Transportation. This may take a few days. However, it may be a week or more before your report is ready.
It may take a few weeks for your police report to be completed and be available to you. You can always check in with the appropriate law enforcement agency for updates on the status, but it is recommended that you allow at least a week before contacting them. You should never call 911 to ask about a record. Find out the direct number to the agency, and ask to speak with someone in the records unit. Once ready, you can pick up a hard copy (generally for a small fee), order a copy online, or ask your attorney to help you secure it as needed.
If you have any questions about a recent vehicle accident you were in, the team at Bashore Green Law is happy to help.