How Do I Get My Traffic Accident Report?

Trusted Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney

A traffic accident report is a vitally important piece of evidence when it comes to your car accident claim. Think of it this way: what are the essential details that you need to provide regarding your accident?  The time, location, the cars involved, the names of the drivers, the damages or injuries caused, witnesses (if any), and the name of the defendant are some the important details that are needed, and a traffic accident report has all of it. Plus, it’s official proof that the accident really did happen.

There are two ways in which a traffic accident report can be obtained:

Police Report: The Online Method

The simplest method of getting your traffic accident report is to request it online. All you have to do is visit the website of the relevant city or county police department and find the link leading to the traffic accident report. For the Los Angeles Police Department, you can look for your report here.  Once you are there, you will need to find the report that you are looking for. For this purpose, you will be required to input the following information:

• Location of the accident
• The exact date of the accident (not an apporoximation)
• The last name of the victim (optional)

Upon submission, a list of reports will be displayed on the screen, depending upon your input. Search by using the report or service number that was given to you by the police officer at the time of filing the report. You will have to wait at least 10 days, in most cases, before the report can be downloaded. The downloading process requires a few minutes only but also charges a small convenience fee on top of the nominal fee.

Police Report: Mail Order

In case you are unable to download or view the report online for some reason, you can always obtain your traffic accident report via mail order. Remember to include the following important details:

• The type of report – Traffic in your case
• Your name, address, and contact details
• Your date of birth
• Report number
• Names of parties in the report
• Date, time and location of the accident
• License plate numbers of the vehicles
• State of registration of the vehicles
• Your reasons for interest in the report (state whether you are an involved party, parent/guardian, or insurance company)
• In case you are an authorized party, include authorization letter from the involved party. Or if you are a parent/guardian, then include proof of the relationship
• Include the declaration and sign it with date.

You will need to send the above-mentioned details, along with a check for the processing/nominal fee, to the mailing address that is available on the department’s website. The report will be sent to your home by mail in a few days.

More often than not, the troublesome part comes after the report has been obtained. Understanding traffic accident reports can be tricky for commoners, so it’s better to take help from a Los Angeles car accident lawyer for handling the report and claim application.

Car Accident Attorney Serving Los Angeles

The Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani, we have handled countless car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, and we know just how important police reports are to recovering what clients deserve, and how to use them to recover the maximum compensation possible.  Trust our dedicated firm to fight hard on your behalf when another negligent party injures you.

Call us today at (888) 952-2952 to set up your appointment.