When seeking compensation against a negligent driver in Jonesboro, it is helpful to have all documents and records related to a collision, including the police report from law enforcement.
You can get a report by downloading it online several days after a motor vehicle accident in Jonesboro. You can also get the report in person from the Jonesboro Police Department if you prefer. To make sure the police report is accurate and detailed, speak to officers when they arrive at the site and tell them everything you remember to the best of your ability. You should call the police to report any motor vehicle accident you are involved in, even if it seems minor. Drivers have a legal reporting requirement for certain accidents, and failure to report could result in a lack of documentation that hurts your case.
To schedule a free case assessment from our Jonesboro car accident attorneys, call (479) 316-0438.
How to Get Your Police Accident Report Online in Jonesboro
Once officers finish car crash reports in Jonesboro, they send them to a third-party website for victims to access and download. This is typically the easiest way to get such reports from law enforcement.
When you go to CrashDocs.org, input the state and jurisdiction for the accident: Arkansas and the Jonesboro Police Department. Next, you must input the report or reference number, which officers should have given you at the scene. If you do not know the report number, our Jonesboro truck accident attorneys can help you locate it.
Victims must also input their last names and the date of the accident for the report they are searching for. Much of this information should be known to you as the victim involved in the accident.
If the report does not appear after you input the necessary information, it may be because the Jonesboro Police Department still needs to upload the report. If it has only been a day or two since the accident, you can wait a couple more days before contacting the Jonesboro Police Department and inquiring about the delay.
Victims with serious injuries can more easily download reports online rather than obtaining them in person.
How to Get Your Police Accident Report in Person in Jonesboro
If you prefer, you can get the report in person by going to the Jonesboro Police Department, where you can give the staff the necessary information about the accident.
As with getting a report online, you must give your personal information to locate the report in person. If you do not know the report number, you might be able to get a paper copy of your report in person by giving other information, like your full name and driver’s license number.
You can visit the Jonesboro Police Department during normal business hours to get the report. You can also call ahead to see if the report is ready to be picked up so you do not waste a trip.
How to Get Accurate Police Reports for Car Accidents in Jonesboro
Police reports are most useful to victims when they are accurate and thorough. Because of this, our attorneys will carefully review the accident report alongside you and promptly address any inaccuracies with the Jonesboro Police Department.
A police report’s accuracy matters, as insurance companies might refer to these documents when processing claims, just as our lawyers may when preparing your lawsuit. Minor errors in a report, like the exact landing spot of involved cars or contributing factors to the accident, might disrupt investigations or otherwise hurt your case.
To make sure the resulting accident report is accurate, be candid with the police when they get to the accident site. Explain what happened to them, and be careful not to accept any fault for the accident whatsoever. Even something as simple as saying you are sorry or feel bad about an accident could negatively impact your case in the future.
Tell officers if you are hurt, even though you will not know the full extent of your injuries at the crash site. Officers can help if you cannot speak to eyewitnesses or exchange information with the other driver because you are too badly injured. Our lawyers can then learn this information and other useful details when we read the resulting report from law enforcement.
When to Call the Police to Report a Car Accident in Jonesboro
You should call the police to report any accident in Jonesboro. If you do not do so because you feel uninjured and then notice injuries later, you might face difficulties proving that the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries.
According to Ark. Code. § 27-53-202, drivers must report certain auto accidents to the Jonesboro Police Department, including those that cause death, bodily injury, or more than $1,000 in property damage.
Since you will not know your full diagnosis at the accident site, you should not assume you are uninjured. Victims might unintentionally ignore injuries because of the adrenaline and stress they feel from an incident, and medical assessment might be necessary to catch certain injuries, such as soft tissue or internal injuries.
That is to say, appearing physically fine does not mean you are unhurt, and you could have a reporting liability to the police even if it does not appear that way.
It is always best to call the police for any car accident in Jonesboro. If the other driver tries to convince you to leave law enforcement out of it, do not listen to them. Regardless of your next steps toward compensation, having documentation of an accident is of the utmost importance. Protect your interests by calling the police after a car crash.
Call Our Attorneys in Jonesboro Today
Call our Jonesboro personal injury attorneys at (479) 316-0438 to get a free case review.