If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, or you’re the parent or guardian of somebody who was, and the accident was investigated by the California Highway Patrol, you’re eligible to request a copy of the Highway Patrol’s accident report. Vehicle owners and people involved need it to make any type of personal injury or property damage claim in connection with your accident. It is essential to request a copy of the Highway Patrol’s accident report because without it, it’s unlikely that you can prove that you were involved in a crash.
Were You Even There?
Police officers receive special training to investigate car accident scenes. Along with other information, they obtain contact information for individuals with injuries resulting from the crash. Those individuals might be the drivers or passengers of the vehicles, or even pedestrians or bicyclists. If your name doesn’t appear in that accident report, it’s easy for an opposing insurance company or its defense lawyer to argue that you were never even there. Even if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run, report your accident to 911 immediately, and request for police to come to the scene. If you sustained injuries, request paramedics, too. They will also make their own report. Then, you have two sets of trained and credible eyes to testify that you were injured in the accident.
Obtaining a Copy of Your Accident Report
If you suffer a collision on a local freeway or highway, it may not be the local police who respond. It may be a California Highway Patrol Officer (CHP) who gets called out.
If this is the case, you’ll be working with the CHP to get a copy of your crash report.
You can request a copy online by completing a collision report request form. You would need to be a driver, passenger, or victim involved in the collision. The owner of the car or a parent or legal guardian of a victim could also request a form.
To request a copy by mail or in person, you’d first want to fill out a CHP 190 document. You can send a request to the address indicated or you can deliver it ot the nearest CHP office. You can find the closest CHP office on their website.
When It’s Time to Request the Report, Having This Information Handy Will Help:
- The date of the accident.
- Where the accident occurred.
- The drivers or owners of the vehicles.
- The party of interest. Check the appropriate box.
Make sure to call the officers to the scene of any accident you’re in. If you sustain an injury, ask the 911 operator to send paramedics too. Don’t allow someone to talk you out of calling 911 after an accident. You just don’t know whether the other party has no driver’s license or insurance, is under the influence of drugs, alcohol or both, or has an outstanding warrant for his or her arrest. If that person flees the scene, try to get a license number, remain at the scene, and call 911.
Contact A Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you suffer from a serious injury due to an accident, talk to an attorney as soon as you can. Your injury may require months of physical therapy and even surgeries in the months to come. Of course, those extreme costs can fall to you well after an insurance claim concludes.
Sometimes, one moment of negligence can lead to a lifetime of pain management, therapy, and emotional distress.
Having an attorney fighting for you can make all the difference in your physical and financial recovery. If you’re having difficulty getting the report, let us know, and we might be able to help you.
