A frightening accident along the fast-moving lanes of Interstate 5 in Stockton can cause physical injuries and financial headaches. And in some cases, you had nothing to do with causing the crash. Once you are feeling better, you may wonder how you’ll protect yourself from paying the consequences of an accident you didn’t cause.
What if the other driver doesn’t admit fault? It’s a situation where an accident report from the Stockton Police Department can be a big help. You may need to secure this document to prove who was to blame and to secure the money you need to pay your medical bills and car repair costs.
Requesting an Accident Report from the Stockton Police Department
After an accident, a member of the Stockton Police Department may be the responding officer. You should tell the officer everything you saw leading up to the crash because the officer will be writing up a collision report. You want that report to be as accurate as possible because it may end up deciding who was at fault for the impact.
Your car accident lawyer will secure this document for you. But if you don’t have a lawyer, you can request a copy of the accident report yourself.
You can access purchase copies of most Stockton Police Department collision reports online. You’ll request it online at BuyCrash through LexisNexis.
It’s important to know a few facts about your accident to make it easier to track down your report:
- Date of your collision
- Location of the accident
- Names of the drivers involved
- An accident report number if the officer provided it to you
You’ll pay around $15 for your copy. You’ll find additional instructions on how to secure your collision report on the City of Stockton’s website.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Stockton Collision?
For minor accidents involving just vehicle damage, you shouldn’t need a lawyer to get a settlement to pay to fix your car or replace it. But when accidents involve serious injuries and someone else caused the crash, it’s important to talk to an attorney about what happened.
Your injury might involve a broken arm or head trauma and could be worth more than you think. Your injury may even require additional medical care in the future, but insurance companies aren’t going to want to pay for more than a trip to the emergency room. They’ll even try to blame you for what happened or question how serious your injuries are. Insurance adjusters want to pay you as little support as possible, no matter how much you’ve suffered.
Don’t end up footing the bill for a major injury that you received through no fault of your own. Contact a Stockton Car Accident Lawyer serving all victims in San Joaquin County to schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation. If you need our help, you won’t need to have any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you.
