2 Important Details You Will Find on the Police Report for Your Car Accident
After getting into a car accident that you believe was the other person's fault, one of the first steps you should take is to get a copy of the policy report. As long as the police were called to the accident, there should be a report you can claim by visiting the police station in the area where the accident took place. You will need this report for several reasons, and here are two important details the report will contain.
The fault of each party
A typical police report will list both drivers separately as driver 1 and driver 2, and it should have boxes that are checked to indicate fault. The boxes will state what caused the accident and who was guilty for it, and you will need to carefully look over this report to see what the police officer wrote on it. If you see that the officer placed the other driver as the at-fault party, that person's insurance company will be responsible to settle the claim.
If the officer indicated that you were at-fault, you may need to fight this if you truly believe it was not your fault. Fighting a police report is not easy, but it is possible through the evidence in the case and through witnesses of the accident.
The name of the other party and his or her insurance company
The other important detail you will learn through the police report is the name of the person that was driving the other car. In addition, the report will contain details about the person's insurance company, including the policy number. You will need this information in order to file a claim for the accident. Once you have the police report, you will have all the information you need to file the claim, and you may need to call your insurance company and the other party's insurance company.
If you were injured at all in the accident and had damages to your vehicle, settling the case may take some time. You can try to settle it by talking to the insurance companies involved; however, this may not result in the outcome you are hoping for. If you experience any trouble settling the case, it might be wise to hire a car accident lawyer for help.
Car accident lawyers are skilled with helping people settle claims, and they will try to do this with the insurance company first. If this is not successful, you have the right to sue the other person to collect money for your damages and injuries.
To learn more about dealing with your case, contact law firms like Bangel, Bangel, & Bangel.