Car accidents can be overwhelming, so it is possible that you did not get a police report on the scene of your crash. Fortunately, our team can help you explore several options to get a copy of your report for your injury claim.
The easiest way to get your report is to request it online. The other option is to mail in your request. Whatever method you prefer, our team can help. Police reports are important documents for deciding car accident claims. While they cannot be submitted as evidence at a trial, it has several uses during settlement negotiations with the insurance company. Most police reports contain numerous details that can be used to argue liability. If the police report makes it clear that the other driver was at fault, it will help settle your case faster. When our lawyers review your report, we will also use it to collect other evidence that we can use if your case does go to court.
Call us at (479) 316-0438 today to receive your free case assessment with our Jacksonville car accident lawyers.
Getting a Police Report for a Car Accident in Jacksonville, AR
Getting a police report after your Jacksonville car accident is a fairly straightforward process. In most cases, you will need to get your police report online from the Jacksonville Police Department. Alternatively, you can obtain your report online from the Arkansas State Police, which keeps a database of all Arkansas accident reports. The only other option to get a Jacksonville police report is to mail your request to the State Police.
Our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers can not only help you get a copy of your crash report but also explain how it can help you get compensation in an injury claim. Our team knows that your police report is often the best place to start building your case. We can locate the defendant with it, contact witnesses on your behalf, and get an overview of the finer details of your case. The following methods are how you can get your police report for a car collision in Jacksonville:
Getting Your Report from the Jacksonville Police Department
The Jacksonville Police Department now offers police accident reports through its online database, which is managed by LexisNexis’s BuyCrash.com. This is actually the Jacksonville Police Department’s preferred method of distributing reports to accident victims. This online database is incredibly convenient as it allows you to search for, view, and print your report from the comfort of your own home.
When accessing the report, select the state and jurisdiction. The jurisdiction just means the law enforcement agency that investigated your accident. Then, you must provide your name and the date of the incident, as well as either your report number, the car’s identification number (VIN), or your license number. However, any one of these last three will suffice, as you do not need all of them to access your report. As of this writing, the cost of a BuyCrash.com report for a Jacksonville car accident is $13 a copy. Payments can be made securely here using your credit or debit card.
Getting Your Report from the Arkansas State Police
If the Jacksonville PD did not make your police report, you can still get it online from the Arkansas State Police. The Department of Public Safety for Arkansas maintains a central repository where all state police accident reports are sent. This means you can access your police report from its online purchasing system no matter what law enforcement department investigated your crash.
Select the individual option and provide your report number. Additional information, such as your license number and date of birth, will also be required if your report does not come up. The more information you provide, the less chance for a delay in getting your report. Online reports will cost $10 per copy, but there is a service fee, so the cost will be similar to the BuyCrash.com option.
Our lawyers can also request a copy of your police report by mail from the Arkansas State Police. Our team can help you fill out the accident request form and mail it to them at:
Arkansas State Police
Attn: Crash Records Section
One State Police Plaza Drive
Little Rock, Arkansas 72209
We will ensure that all fields are entered correctly in your request. You will also need to include a check or money order for $10 with your request, or it will not be processed.
How Long Does it Take to Prepare a Police Report in Jacksonville, AR?
Like most answers in the law, it depends. If your accident involved multiple vehicles and parties, it might take longer before your report is available. This might also be the case if the accident involved serious injuries or the death of a participant. Following that, the report will still need to be approved by the investigating officer’s supervisor. While this might sound like an involved process, most accident reports are processed in a day or two.
Unfortunately, the Jacksonville Police Department does not offer a timeframe for processing reports. However, it should only take ten business days from the date you were injured for the report to be available, according to the Arkansas State Police. If you tried to access your report after that time and could not find it, reach out to our lawyers to get your police report without further delay.
How to Read Your Police Car Accident Report After You Get it in Jacksonville, AR
After you obtain a copy of your accident report, our team will be standing by to explain how to use its contents in your legal claim. We will also review your report to find additional evidence to help prove the elements in your case.
One of the most important sections will be the driver information section. This section details every driver’s name, address, contact information, insurance provider, and vehicle registration. There will also be a section with each vehicle’s information, including what damage was done to the car and where.
The report will also include whether emergency medical services need to transport you from the scene. Most important to our lawyers will be the section that tells us whether the other driver received a citation for the accident. For example, if the officers conducted a sobriety test on the other driver and they were arrested for driving under the influence, it would be the first place we point to when arguing liability later.
The report will also include a narrative section where the police will describe what they observed on the scene. The narrative helps our team get specific details about the damage caused by your crash. It also usually includes a diagram of the scene that can help us get a deeper understanding of how your accident occurred.
Our Jacksonville, AR Car Accident Lawyers Can Help Get Your Police Report Today
For a free case review with our Jacksonville truck accident attorneys, contact us by calling (479) 316-0438.