After an accident it is important to request a copy of the police report. Reports are typically kept on file at the department headquarters for a few days or a few weeks before they are transferred to a central archive location. While fees for obtaining police reports soon are usually very reasonable soon after they are created, fees tend to increase significantly after the reports are sent to a central records facility.

The process for obtaining police reports can vary depending on the jurisdiction where the accident occurred. The vast majority of police departments, however allow you to request a copy of the police accident report online or in person, by going to the department headquarters. Because the person requesting the report will most likely have to identify themselves, the most common and effective way to obtain a copy of the police report is to personally go to police headquarters.

How can I change what is in the police report?

The police officers responding to an auto accident sometimes make mistakes when drafting the accident report. If you notice that your police report is inaccurate, you can request that the report be amended.

The only people who can amend the police accident report are the responding officers that came to the scene of the accident. The responding officers are only able to put information into the report that they were able to verify at the scene of the accident.

To request an amendment to the report, you must call the police department headquarters and attempt to contact one of the responding officers. This can be difficult to arrange because the police officers are often very busy and work irregular hours. Once you get into contact with a responding officer, you must show that officer, through the use of evidence, that what they wrote in the report was inaccurate or incomplete. This can be accomplished through eye witness statements, 911 call recordings or photographs/videos.

For more information following an accident, contact your New York car accident lawyers.