How to Get a Police Report for Your Car Accident in Boston
There are some common steps you should take after a car accident. The first thing to do is attend to your injuries and check on the health of any passengers. If necessary, seek immediate medical attention. Depending on your injuries, you should gather the name, license number, and insurance information of any other drivers involved. Our experienced Cambridge car accident attorneys also advise taking photographs of the scene and collecting the names and contact information of any witnesses.
However, anyone who was in a car accident will attest to the confusion that follows a rear-end collision in Boston. People crowd around the scene and the police are probably blocking traffic while paramedics work to treat any injuries. with all this activity, it might be difficult to recall every step that was suggested. One important document that could help you is the accident report drafted by the officers at the scene. Unfortunately, many people forget to ask how to obtain a copy, this could add up to your losses after a vehicle collision.
Fortunately, there are ways to obtain a police report following an accident. In many cases, the police report might be the most valuable piece of evidence, whether you are negotiating with an insurance company or suing another driver in civil court. at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, our team of lawyers and staff could assist you in obtaining a copy of the report. However, it could be faster for you to take the steps below to get a copy. Whether you have a report or not, call our law offices at (617) 925-6407 if you have been involved in a wrongful death accident in Boston.
Obtaining a Copy of a Police Report in Boston
A police report will contain important information regarding your accident. In addition to specific details, it will also have the observations and conclusions of the police officers who investigated the crash scene. While our office could obtain a copy for you, if you have a copy during your initial consultation, our Boston personal injury lawyers will have a clearer idea of what occurred. Fortunately, it is not difficult to get a copy of an accident report.
In Person
You have the option to pick up a copy of a police report in person. The Boston Police Headquarters is located at:
- 1 Schroeder Plaza
- Roxbury, MA 02120
If you want to apply in person, you need to go to the Public Service Unit, located on the first floor. The office is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Please note that the office is closed for lunch between noon and 1:00 pm.
By Mail
You could also request a copy of a police accident report by mail. to do so, send a writing request to:
- Boston Police Headquarters
- 1 Schroeder Plaza
- Roxbury, MA 02120
Your request should be directed to “Attention: Police Reports.” You will have to provide information related to the accident, such as your name, the date of the accident, your registration, and the location of the accident. There is a $5 processing fee, so you will have to send a check payable to “the Boston Police Department.”
Reporting an Accident in Boston
If you are involved in a car accident in Boston that results in $1,000 of damage to at least one vehicle or resulted in an injury, you must report the accident within five days. You should file a report even if the police responded and were at the scene. You could report an accident online.
What is Contained in a Boston Police Accident Report?
A police accident report will contain vital information, including the observations of the responding officers, the names and contact information of witnesses, drivers’ licenses numbers of the drivers involved, license plate numbers, insurance information, and descriptions of the vehicles and damage.
The information contained in a police report could be crucial – especially if you could not gather the information at the time of the accident.
The Benefits of a Police Report After a Boston Car Accident
A police report contains information that could be valuable whether you are negotiating with an insurance company or suing a negligent driver in court. For example, an accident report will have a statement from each driver involved, a narrative written by the investigating officer, and the officer’s conclusion. Additionally, it could contain other critical information such as the weather conditions at the time of the crash, a diagram of the accident, a description of the vehicle damage, and whether the police issued any citations.
No matter how slight you believe an accident to be, you should call the police, so a report is made. Having a report could be helpful if another driver changes their story, is uncooperative, attempts to blame you, or if your injuries are more severe than you initially realized. at the very least, a police report will provide important evidence if you file a claim with your insurance company.
If you hire our Malden car accident attorneys to file a personal injury lawsuit, a police report is an important tool to help establish that another driver was at fault. In some cases, our office will hire an accident reconstructionist to help investigate a crash. While they will work from testimony and the damage the vehicles sustained, they will also use the police report’s diagram and other pertinent information. Certain injuries are more prone to occur in specific accidents. Our lawyers could use a report that indicates you were involved in a rear-end collision to support a whiplash injury. Most importantly, if the report shows that another driver violated a traffic law, it will provide compelling evidence to prove the other driver was negligent. Our Boston side-impact collision lawyer for more information.
Call Our Boston Car Accident Lawyers if You Need a Police Report
A police report is a valuable asset in insurance negotiations and personal injury lawsuits. Our Boston car accident attorneys could help you obtain a report to begin building your case. While there are many things you could do after a car accident, you should ensure that the police are called. a police accident report could be the first step in protecting your rights. to discuss what steps you should take after a car accident, call the Law Offices of Jim J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.