Can You Correct Police Report Errors After a Collision?

February 15, 2022

In Las Vegas, a police report needs to be filed within 10 days of a car crash. It provides critical details about the incident, vehicles and drivers involved. However, what if you get this report for an injury claim only to find it contains one or more mistakes? Can you get police report errors removed or corrected? High Stakes Injury Law discusses police reports below, including what details they provide and how to address any mistakes you find. If you have been injured by another’s negligence, you may greatly benefit from having a qualified attorney handle your claim. Our car accident lawyers in Las Vegas are prepared to fight for maximum compensation on your behalf.

Do I Always Need a Police Report After a Car Crash?

In Las Vegas, drivers must file a police report for any crash that causes injuries or $750 or more in damages. Since a police report is not admissible in a court of law, you may wonder why you need it. However, the contents of the police report may be used in support of your claim to help prove your fault. That is why you should review this document soon after a crash to confirm what the responding officer wrote. The information on a car crash police report includes, at a minimum:

• The date, time and location of the crash
• Contact and insurance details
• Make, model and other vehicle details
• Location and description of vehicle damage
• Statements from each driver involved in the crash
• Statements and contact details of any witnesses
• Diagrams of where each vehicle was when first responders arrived
• Citations for traffic violations, if any, issued to the involved drivers
• The investigating officer’s opinion about the probable cause of the crash

What Types of Police Report Errors Could You Find?

The officers who write incident reports are human, so while you may not often find police report errors, it is possible. For this reason, we recommend that you get a copy of your report as soon as you can. It may take a few days until it becomes available. However, once it is in the system, you can either access your Las Vegas police report in person or online. Once you have your police report, you should immediately look it over for mistakes. There are generally two types of errors you might find: those that are factual and easily proven and those that are more subjective and harder to resolve.

Factual Errors

Factual errors are mistakes you may find about basic information. For instance, the make and model of your car or the owner of each vehicle in the crash. Perhaps the information about your insurance company is wrong. While you cannot verify facts about the other driver, you should be sure details reported about you are error-free.

Disputable Errors

A disputable error has more to do with subjective statements that others may have made about you. For instance:

• A witness said he or she saw you texting prior to the crash
• The other driver said you had your high beams on, and he or she was unable to see
• At times, a police officer may not be objective or accurate when stating the cause of the crash

Unfortunately, these subjective errors are not factual mistakes you can back up with other documents. These are difficult, if not impossible to remove from a police report. However, there is still a way to address them.

What Can You Do if You Find Errors on Your Police Report?

If you find errors on your police report, there are a few steps you can take to address them. The most important step is to deal with any mistakes you find immediately. The longer you wait to do this, the harder it will be to get errors removed.

• Contact the responding officer: Politely contact the officer who wrote your report to discuss any errors you found.
• Factual errors - provide proof: Provide copies of documents that prove the error, such as your insurance card or vehicle registration.
• Disputable errors: These are tricky to get removed. However, you can write a clear, polite and concise statement of your account. If you have photos or other documents that help to support your statement, be sure to attach them. Although the original statement will likely not be removed, you can ask that your account of what happened be attached.
• Contact a lawyer for help: Seeking legal help after a car crash could benefit your claim, even in the early stages right after a crash. An attorney can help you with correcting any police report errors and include a statement that can help to strengthen and support your request.

If the officer noted on your police report that you were not injured, this could cause a problem for your claim. This is why you want to be sure to seek emergency medical care right after a car crash. Your medical records are proof of your emergency room visit, any injuries you sustained and the ongoing care you have received. That said, before sending anyone copies of your medical records, we strongly recommend seeking legal advice from a qualified attorney first. He or she can help you to provide this documentation accurately and with no risk of hurting your claim.

Injured in a Car Crash? Our Trusted Law Firm is Ready to Help

The aftermath of any car crash is a traumatic event for all involved. Dealing with injuries, doctors’ appointments, medical costs, insurance companies and more is overwhelming. At High Stakes Injury Law, you are not just a number. We fight hard for our clients, and we are ready to help you seek maximum compensation for your losses. We have a history of proven results, including a $9 million settlement for an accident victim with a neck injury. Our firm is available to take your call anytime, night or day. Your initial consultation is completely free, and if we represent you, there are no upfront costs to pay.