What if the accident police report is against me?

When police arrive at the scene of the crash, they’ll write and file a report. Sometimes, the police report will suggest that you’re at fault for the crash, whether you think you were or not.

Don’t fret – just because the police report is against you doesn’t mean you’ll be convicted of any civil or criminal offenses. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t file a lawsuit regarding the accident.

If you think there was a mistake on a police report, call an Athens car accident lawyer for help. For now, let’s take a look at what it means if the police report is against you, and what you can do if it is.

Why the Report May Say You’re to Blame

If you’re wondering “Why is the police report against me? The accident wasn’t my fault!”, you’re not alone. It is not uncommon for the police report to be incorrect.

This can happen for a variety of reasons:

The officer made errors in their report.

Police officers are human; just like the rest of us, they aren’t immune to making mistakes. Unfortunately, their mistake could potentially cost you, unless you obtain an attorney’s help.

There are a whole host of small mistakes that can cause a police report to wrongly accuse you of being at fault for the accident. These are just a few:

• Misreporting the physical damage to the cars
• Failing to include one or both driver’s symptoms or complaints of injuries
• Assuming that no one was injured
• Failing to assess evidence at the scene or forgetting to record certain evidence
• Recording incomplete or incorrect statements from the drivers or witnesses
• Leaving out key information about the drivers
• Leaving one driver’s statements out because they are unconscious or injured
• Misreporting the speed the cars were driving before the crash
• Making mistakes when constructing the diagram of the accident
• Mixing up which drivers and passengers were in which vehicle
• Mixing up the cars or damage to the cars.

The officer didn’t receive adequate accident reconstruction training.

Police officers are supposed to receive accident reconstruction training. This essentially means that they learn to piece together information and evidence from the scene of an accident to determine how the accident happened and who did what wrong.

This training allows police officers to study things like skid marks, location of vehicle damage, injuries, and eyewitness reports to make an informed determination about the nature of the accident and who is at fault.

However, some officers don’t receive adequate training in this area due to budget cuts, demand, and other reasons. If the officer never received adequate training, it’s easier for them to make a mistake and assume that you are to blame for the crash.

If the officer at the scene of your accident didn’t receive enough training or any training at all, their report could place you at fault for an accident you did not cause. If your attorney can prove that the officer is untrained in accident reconstruction, they may be able to prove that the report is unreliable and should not be used against you.

How to Fix an Erroneous Police Report in 3 Steps

1. Gather evidence that the police report is incorrect.

First, you should collect evidence. Take a look at the report and see where you think the officer went wrong. You can compile eyewitness accounts, pictures of the crash site, car damage, injuries, and even recordings of 911 calls.

2. Contact the officer who responded to the accident and wrote the report.

Another thing that you can do if the report seems incorrect is to contact the police officer who wrote it. You can find their name and contact information on the copy of the report. Ask to meet with the officer to discuss the specifics of the report.

3. Make an appointment to meet with the officer and show your evidence.

Present your evidence to the officer, explain why you think you did not cause the accident, and why you think the report is incorrect. Ask the officer for evidence to back up any questionable claims on the report.

For instance, if the officer wrote that you were speeding before the accident, they must provide proof that that was the case. They can’t just say it and make it happen.

Police report against you? Don’t assume you’re out of options.

If you were in an accident and are thinking “Why is the police report against me? The accident wasn’t my fault!” – don’t panic; you’re not out of options.

An Athens car accident lawyer can help clear your name and help you win compensation for the accident if it was caused by another person’s negligence. You don’t deserve to be held responsible for a car crash that you did not cause. Let attorney Mike Rafi help you!

Call (706) 995-7547 today to schedule a free consultation so we can get started on your case.