Even though they are not considered evidence, car crash reports are worth getting after accidents in Hartsville. Our lawyers can help you get the crash report so we can better prepare your claim.
In order to get a report for an auto accident, you must gather the necessary information. Because most police records requests in Hartsville are processed through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, you will be required to provide your name, address, phone number, email, and a description of the records you want to obtain, at the very least. Requests for car accident reports are typically processed within ten days in Hartsville and cost $5. Despite not being admissible in injury claims in South Carolina, police reports are important documents for our lawyers to refer to when building lawsuits. For example, police reports might indicate the cause of an accident or contain eyewitnesses’ names and phone numbers whose statements can strengthen a victim’s case.
To schedule a confidential and free assessment of your case with the Hartsville, SC car accident lawyers of Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers, call us now at (803) 451-4000.
Information Needed to Get Police Reports for Hartsville, SC Car Accidents
Before obtaining the report regarding a recent auto accident in Hartsville, you must compile the necessary information about yourself and the crash. That way, you will have the proper details on hand and can avoid facing any hiccups when attempting to access your report.
You will most likely need to give your driver’s license number, name, and accident details to get a police report in Hartsville. For example, be prepared to provide the date of the crash and its location. You might also be asked for the other driver’s information as well as the report number. While officers should give you the report number at the accident scene, our attorneys can help you get your report using other information regarding the incident. If you obtain your report through a Freedom of Information Act request, you might have to provide more general information about the records themselves.
How to Get Police Reports for Car Accidents in Hartsville, SC
Currently, the Hartsville Police Department does not have an online portal for victims to use and access accident reports. Because of this, you might have to get your report in person or by mail.
To get public records in Hartsville, car accident victims may have to fill out a Freedom of Information Act request. This form will require you to identify the specific records you wish to obtain. Because of that, you should be prepared to give details about the accident that make locating your report easier. Our Hartsville, SC personal injury lawyers can help you complete your FOIA request so it is not denied. In general, auto accident reports cost $5. In addition to sending a FOIA request by mail, you may also be able to visit the Hartsville Police Department in person to obtain your report. Our attorneys can assist you if you are having difficulty getting your report in person or by mail following an accident.
How Long Does it Take to Get Police Reports for Car Accidents in Hartsville, SC?
The City Clerk’s Office is tasked with sorting through Freedom of Information Act requests and locating the appropriate records in Hartsville. If you need a police report for a motor vehicle accident, it should not take you too long to receive it after submitting your FOIA request.
The report for the accident will not be available immediately following the crash. Generally speaking, requests for records that are less than 24 months old can be completed within ten days in Hartsville. If it is taking longer than that for the City Clerk’s Office to provide you with your incident report, inform our lawyers. We can take the necessary steps to inquire about the delay and ensure you obtain your report as soon as possible. To determine the progress of your report, feel free to reach out to the Hartsville Police Department and ask if it has been filed with the City Clerk’s Office.
Reasons to Get the Police Report for Your Hartsville, SC Car Accident
Even though police reports are inadmissible evidence in car accident lawsuits in South Carolina, they are still important for victims to have. Such reports can help shed light on certain matters regarding your claim and give our lawyers detailed information we might not have been able to obtain elsewhere.
Because police reports are filled out in the immediate aftermath of an accident, they often contain information that is forgotten by or unknown to victims. For example, say pedestrians, other drivers, or passersby witnessed your accident take place. And, suppose your injuries were so severe that you were unable to speak to eyewitnesses. If eyewitnesses remained at the accident location, it is likely that the responding Hartsville police officers spoke with them and included their information in the accident report. After getting this report, our lawyers can also learn of eyewitnesses’ identities and use that information to get their statements.
Furthermore, police reports typically contain all the general information about an accident. For example, police reports often have sections for officers to sketch the positioning of cars at the scene. There are also places within reports for officers to note primary and contributing causes of accidents. Officers will also record any apparent injuries to victims in accident reports.
Simply put, accident reports are important resources for our attorneys when building car accident claims. Because of this, it will be crucial for you to alert the police after being injured in a crash and then obtain the report ultimately completed by officers in Hartsville.
Call Our Hartsville, SC Attorneys About Your Accident Claim Today
Call Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000 for help with your case from our Columbia, SC car accident lawyers.
