A frightening crash on a rural Kern County road or on Highway 99, or Interstate 5 may leave you relying on help from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The collision report the CHP officer prepares could serve as key evidence in your favor when you go to seek help from an insurance company to pay car repair and medical bills after an injury.
A Kern County Car Accident Lawyer can help you secure the evidence you need, including a California Highway Patrol accident report, to force an insurance provider to give you the support you need. Maison Law offers a free case consultation to all Kern County victims. Contact us for a no-risk opportunity to find out what your accident claim may be worth and how to hold a careless driver fully responsible.
Requesting a California Highway Patrol Accident Report After a Kern County Collision
To obtain an accident report from a CHP Kern County officer, you’ll need to determine the closest Highway Patrol Office to your accident scene. The officers investigating your crash should have also let you know which office they’ll be submitting the report to.
Your closest CHP office will likely be one of three locations in Kern County:
9855 Compagnoni Street
Bakersfield, CA 93313
(661) 396-6600
29449 Stockdale Hwy.
Bakersfield, CA 93314
(661) 764-5580
1033 Lebec Rd.
Lebec, CA 93243
(661) 248-6655
Downloading a CHP Collision Report Request Form
Once you know where your request should be directed, you should wait at least a week from the date of your accident to allow time for the officer to complete your collision report. Then you’ll be filling out and submitting a CHP 190 document. You should download and complete this collision report request form. Then you’ll be either mailing it or bringing it into the proper CHP office.
Please attach a photocopy of your state driver’s license or identification card to verify the proper party of interest. If you do not have a license or identification card, your signature on this document must be notarized by a licensed notary.You’ll find additional instructions on the Highway Patrol website.
Your identity and involvement will be checked. Generally, you need to have been the driver or passenger involved. The owner of the car could also request a report. The parent or legal guardian of the victim involved could also get the accident report.
Keep in mind that if you hire a Kern County car accident lawyer, your lawyer will secure this report for you.
Do I Need a Lawyer After an Accident in Kern County?
For minor accidents involving just vehicle damage or a very minor injury, like scratches or bruising, you shouldn’t need a lawyer to get fair treatment. Getting compensation to repair or replace a car has become pretty standardized.
However, when accidents involve serious injuries, like a broken bone or head trauma, to you or a loved one, it’s important to talk to an attorney about what happened.
Your injury could be worth more than you think. It may even require additional medical care in the future, which insurance companies will try to avoid accepting responsibility for. They can offer you only enough for the first visit to the emergency room and then close the book on your claim.
Don’t end up footing the bill for a major injury that you received through no fault of your own. Contact a Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer serving all victims in Kern County to find out how we can help you during recovery. Maison Law offers a free consultation, and if you need to hire us, we don’t charge anything unless we win your case for you.
