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
You can obtain a copy of your California Highway Patrol accident report either through the mail or in person at your local Highway Patrol office. There is a $10 charge for reports up to 25 pages in length. Longer reports may cost more. In requesting the copy, use the California Highway Patrol’s Application for Release of Information CHP 190.
Here’s the information that you’ll need to provide:
- The date of the accident.
- Where the accident occurred.
- The drivers or owners of the vehicles.
- The party of interest. Check the appropriate box.
If you’re making your request by mail, enclose a check or money order for $10 with your request along with a copy of your driver’s license or state identification for verification purposes. It will take about two weeks to receive your report.
If you were in an accident and want to request your CHP accident report, you can follow the steps above or obtain legal representation. If you connect with an attorney, his or her legal team can request the accident report on your behalf.
Make sure to call the police 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 and get a license number, remain at the scene and call 911 anyway.
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.
