police report

A police report contains important information about the car accident – and is a very powerful and useful document.

If you ever are in a traffic accident in St. Louis – even a minor collision – call law enforcement. Even if it’s just a minor fender-bender with no injuries, you should call the police so that a report can be filed. Here’s why this is so important.

What is a Police Report?

A police report is an unbiased report of what happened at an accident site and is filed by a law enforcement officer after they respond to the scene of a crash. This report usually contains quite a bit of information, such as:

• The precise location where the accident occurred
• The time and date of the accident
• The extent of damage to vehicles and property
• Injuries, if any, sustained by drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and any other involved parties
• Statements and identifying information of eyewitness
• Statements of each driver about their perspective of the accident
• Environmental information about when the accident occurred, such as road conditions, fog, etc.

Basically, a police report contains all of the information about the accident – and is a very powerful and useful document when it comes to proving negligence, fault, and responsibility. 

Why Does Filing a Police Report Matter After a Car Accident?

A police report is a very powerful piece of evidence – whether or not you were at fault for the accident. 

• Prove negligence & fault if you’re the victim – If you were the victim of a serious car accident, a police report has information that will help prove the responsibility of the other driver.
  
  This is very important in “shared fault” states like Missouri, where your compensation can be reduced if you’re found to have contributed to the accident due to your own negligence. By using the police report, you can get an unbiased perspective, and make sure the facts of the case are correct during the process of recovering the compensation you deserve.
  
• Protect yourself if you caused the accident – Even if you were at fault and caused the accident, a police report can help your St. Louis car accident attorney defend you from false claims. A police report that’s thorough and accurate will help if the other party tries to claim false injury, misreports facts about the incident, or lies to try to get more compensation than they deserve. 

Speak With an Experienced St. Louis Car Accident Attorney ASAP

If you were injured in an accident and were the victim of negligence a police report can help a St. Louis car accident attorney build your case and get you the compensation you are legally entitled to.

A police report can prove to be an incredibly powerful piece of evidence in your car accident case.

When each side is telling a different story, the police report is often viewed as an objective recollection of events, as they don’t have anything to gain from the process.

While severe car accidents will invite the presence of the police on the scene, for not so serious events you’ll often have to file a report yourself.

Can You Do It Online?

In Missouri, you currently cannot get a police report online. There is an online form you can download, but you still have to physically mail it in. To file the report, there are three criteria your car accident should meet:

• The accident happened in the last 12 months
• The accident involved an uninsured motorist
• The accident resulted in injuries, fatalities, or property damage of more than $500

In Missouri, you are legally required to carry auto insurance to protect yourself in these kinds of situations. The police cannot realistically handle every single fender-bender that occurs, so if both drivers are insured, then there is no reason for police intervention.

Things change when the stakes are higher, however. If the car accident caused serious damage, injuries, or even ended in fatalities, then the police should be called at the scene.

What Can You Do to File the Report?

If the situation warrants it, you should call 911 and get the police directly at the scene, where they can take your statements, talk to witnesses, and file their own report. The preliminary version of that report will generally be published online on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s website, and it will remain there for 29 days. This will contain rough information about the event.

To get the full report, you’ll have to make an official request with the MSHP.

If, however, you did not call the police on the scene but still want to file a report, you can then do so directly at the nearest precinct.

Will There Be an Investigation?

If an official report is filed, then the police have a duty to investigate the issue mentioned in the report. However, the depth of the investigation, as well as how long it will take greatly depends on the severity of the car crash.

Accidents with many injuries or fatalities will obviously be prioritized, particularly because there is also a criminal component. However, more minor accidents might not generate a lot of details in the police report.

Speak With an Experienced Attorney

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, and plan on getting compensation, you should reach out to a St. Louis car injury lawyer as soon as possible for legal advice. They will help you understand and protect your legal rights after a car accident. Give us a call 24/7 for a FREE consultation at (314) 361-4242.