Car accidents are inconvenient at best and fatal at worst. Accidents should be reported to the police immediately so that they can conduct an investigation. Once an investigation is complete, the police may write a formal report about the accident, and we should get a copy as soon as possible. The report is important for numerous reasons and may help you get fair compensation.
St. Andrew’s Road is a hotbed of accidents in the Columbia, SC metropolitan area. Typically, accident reports are available through the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). Requests may be made online, but your attorney can help you if you need to submit a request in another way. The report may help you file an auto insurance claim or even file a personal injury lawsuit.
Call our Columbia, SC car accident lawyers with Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000 and ask about a free, initial case evaluation.
Where to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident on St. Andrew’s Road
Most vehicle accidents should be reported to the police immediately. Not only can the police provide emergency aid while you wait for emergency medical personnel, but they can also investigate the accident and potentially uncover evidence.
After the police conduct an investigation, they should prepare an official report detailing their findings. Typically, these accident reports may be available to drivers through the SCDMV. Once the reports are ready, drivers may contact the SCDMV and formally request copies of the report.
Exactly when the report is ready may depend on which police agency was responsible for writing it. The report may originate from various law enforcement agencies, including local, county, and state agencies. Accidents on St. Andrew’s Road often involve the Columbia Police or the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
If your report is still not ready, our car accident lawyers may contact the agency or officers in charge of the case and request additional information.
How to Request a Police Accident Report
You may have multiple options for requesting copies of police accident reports. Some methods might get you a copy of the report faster than others, and a lawyer can help you if you are unsure how to submit a request.
Car accident reports are often available through the SCDMV, a large agency responsible for hundreds or even thousands of reports. To handle the high volume of reports and requests from drivers, requests must usually be submitted online. You can use the SCDMV’s online portal to enter certain information about yourself and the accident to get a copy of the report.
You also have the option of submitting a request for a copy of the accident report by mail. Again, requests must be sent to the SCDMV, and forms to be filled out and mailed in can be found online.
If neither of the above options works for you, you may fill out the necessary forms and submit them in person at a branch of the SCDMV. Bring two copies of your request and be prepared to pay a small fee.
Why You Need a Police Report After a Car Accident on St. Andrew’s Road
A police report is not just some legal paperwork. It is official documentation of your accident, and it may be extremely important when you claim financial compensation for your damages and injuries.
Drivers typically file insurance claims after an accident, and many insurance companies require police accident reports before they pay out any claims. If you did not report the accident to law enforcement and there is no accident report, you might have difficulty filing an insurance claim.
Accidents happen frequently on St. Andrew’s Road, and they can be severe. In such cases, an accident report may be important to help you prove how the accident happened to the insurance company.
Accident reports are also useful in personal injury lawsuits after car accidents. While these reports are generally inadmissible as evidence because they violate the rule against hearsay, they may contain details that may guide us to admissible evidence. For example, if the police spoke to witnesses, their names and contact information may be included in the report, allowing us to contact them directly.
When You Can Request Copies of Police Accident Reports
The time when you may submit a request for copies of the accident report may vary based on several factors.
You may not have to wait long if the accident was relatively simple and the police completed their investigation promptly. In such cases, reports are usually ready fairly quickly.
You may have to wait longer if the accident is more complicated, involves serious injuries, or results in death. The police will likely conduct a more thorough investigation and take longer to draft the accident report.
Many accident reports are available a few weeks after the accident. However, if yours is still not ready, talk to your attorney. We can reach out to the officers in charge and request more information about the report and the reason for the delay.
Who Can Request Copies of Police Accident Reports?
While accident reports are typically available to the public, not everyone has unfettered access to this information.
In most cases, drivers directly involved in the accident can submit requests and obtain copies of the accident reports once they are ready. Similarly, injured passengers and other individuals directly involved in the accident may submit requests.
If you are in the middle of legal action regarding the accident, your legal representatives or representatives from insurance companies may submit requests for the accident report.
In cases where drivers are too injured to submit requests on their own or have passed away, immediate family members may request copies of accident reports.
If you are not directly involved in the accident or related to someone who is, you might have to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Call Our Car Accident Lawyers for Help with Your Claims
Call our South Carolina car accident lawyers with Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000 and ask about a free, initial case evaluation.
