What to Do if a Police Officer Made a Mistake on Your Car Accident Report

After a car accident, police officers respond to the scene to help victims and file a report on the collision. Accident reports include general information about the incident (such as the time, place, and names of the drivers and passengers), as well as further details about what happened (like witness accounts, injury descriptions, photographs, and diagrams). A police report is often an essential piece of evidence in the resulting claims process. All parties can refer to the report to provide an accurate, third-party recall of the events.

When a mistake is made on an accident report, it does not serve as the helpful resource that it is supposed to be. Inaccurate information on a police report, if it goes unnoticed, has the potential to change the trajectory of a case. If you notice a mistake on the report of a collision you were injured in, what can you do to correct it?

Respond as Soon as Possible

When you notice a mistake on your accident report, you should contact the police quickly to correct it. Waiting to make the change will only complicate the process, as the report will become intertwined with your claim. Although timely correction is crucial, it is also important to make sure you have evidence of why the report is inaccurate, so you can present a substantial case.

Establish Proof of the True Events

You will likely need to present some kind of evidence that demonstrates that a mistake was made. The police department is not going to “take your word for it” and change their report just because you say there was a mistake.

The type of evidence you will need depends on the report error, but in general, you should already be keeping all insurance documents, taking photographs, and saving your medical bills. Any of these records can help show the police department that they made a mistake, and present the correct information.

Contact Our Attorneys

Dedicated legal representation is critical when you are involved in an auto accident — Goeing Goeing & McQuinn PLLC can provide it. Our lawyers can help you navigate the correction of a mistake on a police report, as well as the other elements of your collision claim.