What is Included in an Accident Report?
If you or somebody you care about is injured in a car accident in the state of Georgia, then there will almost always be an accident report involved. Nearly every vehicle accident that occurs must be reported to law enforcement officials. However, do you know what actually goes into an accident report? This is important information because insurance carriers are going to need the accident report in order to move forward with your injury or property damage claim.
When do Accidents Need to be Reported in Georgia?
If you or somebody you care about has been involved in an accident in Georgia, you need to know that it is very likely the incident must be reported to the local law enforcement agency. Under Georgia law, you must immediately call the police for any accident under the following circumstances:
- If the accident occurred in a city that requires reporting
- If any person was injured or killed in the accident
- If there was property damage exceeding $500
- If the incident is required to be reported by your insurance carrier
Under these guidelines, it is almost a certainty that any type of vehicle collision that occurs on Georgia roadways must be reported to law enforcement officials. A police officer will come to the scene and complete a crash report, and you may purchase this report at a later date (which we will discuss below).
What is in the Accident Report
There will be various information inside an accident report.This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- The approximate time and the date that the accident occurred
- The full names of every driver and passenger involved in the incident
- The contact information and insurance information for other drivers involved
- Statements from any eyewitnesses, how long with their names and phone numbers
- A summary of the damage is sustained to the vehicles
- The officer’s description of the scene
- A basic diagram of the accident and what likely occurred
We need to stress the importance of not simply relying on the accident report for all the evidence needed to win a personal injury claim against another driver. There may be other types of evidence that need to be gathered, including photo or video surveillance from the scene of the incident. We strongly encourage you to work with an attorney who can use their resources and investigate every aspect of your claim.
Requesting Your Accident Report
There may be a time when you need to obtain your accident report from the state. You can go to the Georgia Department of Transportation website and scroll down to the section where it says “Request Your Crash Report,” and click the start request button. There may be various reasons why you need to obtain your crash report, including filing an injury or property damage claim against another party.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another driver in Georgia, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney immediately. A skilled Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you through this entire process, including obtaining your accident report, investigating the incident, and handling all negotiations with the insurance carriers involved.