3 Reasons a Police Report Is Vital to Your Car Accident Case

 Posted on May 20,2022 in Car Accidents

By Illinois state law, you are obligated to file a police report if you get into a car accident that causes any type of injury or over $1,500 in property damage. That is enough of a reason to make sure you stick around after the crash to wait for the police unless your injuries indicate that you must be taken to the hospital right away. Aside from that, the police report may be absolutely vital to your claim. While quite a few people are understandably hesitant to interact with the police, it is important that you do not skip this step. A police report showing that you were not at fault for the accident can make or break your case when it comes time to seek damages. You have the option of calling a lawyer from the side of the road for further guidance.

Why is the Police Report so Important?

There are a number of reasons that people who have been hurt in a crash hesitate to call the police. However, failing to do so could make it very difficult for you to recover compensation. A police report can help your case in ways like:

• Credibility - Right or wrong, courts tend to believe police officers. Having a neutral police officer document that they believe the other driver caused the accident can be enormously helpful. Your version of events and the other driver’s version of events may be wildly different. Whoever the police agree with is likely to succeed in court.
• Less suspicion - If you fail to call the police after getting hurt in a crash, the court is going to wonder why. Failing to bring the police out to the accident scene can make the court believe that you are hiding something. It could open the door for speculation about why you did not want the police to come. The more the other driver protests your plan to call the police, the more you need them.
• Prompt investigation - Police can respond quickly after an accident has occurred. This means that they can investigate before the accident scene is disturbed. They can document physical evidence like tire tracks, the positioning of the crashed vehicles, and where vehicle debris landed. These types of evidence may no longer be available by the time you are able to dispatch an attorney.

While dealing with the police always carries some level of risk, you are far better off allowing them to come investigate and take a report after an accident.

Call a Lake County Car Accident Attorney

Salvi & Maher, LLP can help you better if you follow through with reporting your accident to the police. Our Waukegan car accident lawyers are skilled at using a police report to our client’s advantage. Contact us at 847-662-3303 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://isp.illinois.gov/CrashReports