How to Get a Police Report for a Car Accident in Lynn, MA

Getting a police report for a car accident is a routine procedure, although it might take some time. Obtaining a copy of the report is crucial for insurance claims and lawsuits to help you get compensation for your damages.

Perhaps the most popular way of obtaining a copy of a police report for a car accident is by submitting a request online. You can use an online portal and submit a request for a crash report from anywhere in Massachusetts, including Lynn. If you cannot make the request online, you can get a report by going to the Lynn police station. How you get your accident report might also depend on which police department handled the crash. Generally, both state and local departments make reports available online. Obtaining the report is crucial to your case because it might provide us with leads on evidence we can use to get compensation for your injuries.

If you were injured in a car accident, our Lynn, MA car accident lawyers can help you get a copy of the crash report. For a free case review, call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.

Where to Obtain a Copy of the Police Report for Your Car Accident in Lynn, MA

The first step toward getting a copy of the police report about your car accident is to figure out where you need to get the report. Many accident reports throughout the state are available online, although you might also be able to make a request in person at the police station. Getting the report takes a bit of time, so you should make your request as soon as possible.

Online

You can submit a request for a copy of the accident report by using the online portal provided by the state. The portal gives you access to accident reports filed with the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). If your report cannot be found using the portal, it might not be ready yet. Our Lyn, MA car accident attorneys can also check with the police officers who wrote the report to make sure it was filed with the RMV.

Anyone may make the request as long as they have the required information. Our team can assist you if you are unsure whether you have the information necessary to get a report. The online portal may direct you to reports from state and local law enforcement agencies. This is especially useful for people who were in an accident in Lynn but live in another part of the state or outside the state. It should also be noted that you need to pay a $20 fee.

It takes about 4 weeks to get a copy of the report after submitting the request online, so you should submit your request sooner rather than later. If the report is not ready at the time of your request, the RMV will continue looking for it for 90 days after the accident.

The Police Station

If you cannot submit the online request, you might still make the request in person at the police station. The police station in Lynn, MA is located at 300 Washington Street, and our Lynn, MA personal injury lawyers can help you inquire about a crash report in person.

A good place to start is the records office located in the lobby of the police station. The staff there handle various records and reports and might help you get a copy of the report. The staff might direct you to the online portal. However, if you cannot make the request online, you might obtain one directly from the police.

Which Police Department Has Your Accident Report in Lynn, MA?

Although many accident reports throughout the state are available through the same online portal, it might make a difference if your crash was handled by state or local law enforcement. Our Massachusetts personal injury lawyers can help you get a report regardless of which police department investigated the crash.

If your crash happened in the city limits of Lynn, MA, the local police likely handled the accident. In that case, you would have to go to the local police station to inquire about a report if you cannot use the online portal. If your accident happened on a state highway, the Massachusetts State Police might have handled the accident. In that case, your report comes from state law enforcement officials.

Since accident reports are so often available online, whether your report comes from the state or local level should not make a huge difference in how you get the report. However, the state police tend to be very busy, considering they operate across the entire state, so it might take longer to get the report. As such, you should submit a request for the report as soon as possible.

Why Obtaining a Police Report for a Car Accident in Lynn, MA is Important

Getting the accident report should be one of the first steps we take in your case. Not only do insurance companies often require a copy of the report before any compensation is paid, but the report might also contain valuable information about the accident that we are unaware of.

Often, the police write these reports after conducting a thorough investigation of the accident. If they spoke to witnesses or collected evidence, those notes should be in the accident report. If you take your case to court, the accident report might be used to guide us to valuable evidence.

Accident reports are usually not admissible as evidence because they are considered hearsay. However, there might be a way to circumnavigate the rule against hearsay. Our Boston personal injury lawyers might be able to get the report admitted under the hearsay exception for public records or records made in the regular course of business.

Contact Our Lynn, MA Car Accident Lawyers for Help

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be time-consuming and exhausting, and getting a copy of the police report is only one small step in the right direction. Our Boston car accident attorneys can help ease your burden while you focus on recovering after the crash. Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.