A car accident report contains a wealth of information about the accident, the people involved, and the injuries and property damage sustained. If you or a loved one has suffered a car accident recently, you may need to locate your accident report to learn more about what happened.
When you file an insurance claim, the insurance adjuster will also want to review the report, so it’s beneficial to discuss the details with an experienced personal injury lawyer first.
Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law offers free consultations for anyone injured in a car accident or other personal injury situation. We’ll review the accident report, answer your questions, and explain your options for pursuing damages.
Additionally, we’ll help you determine the approximate value of your claim so you’ll know if the insurance company’s offer is reasonable. If we take your case, you won’t owe us anything until we resolve it successfully, so please contact our Fresno car accident law firm today to learn more.
Reedley Police Department Car Accident Reports Are Available Online or in Person
The Reedley Police Department has an online form you can complete to request your report. The first page is the English version, and the second is the Spanish version.
You can fill it out using any app that allows you to edit PDFs and email it to:
Or, you can print the form, fill it out, and turn it in at:
Reedley Police Department
843 G Street
Reedley, CA 93654
You’ll be asked for the date, time, and location of the accident, as well as your contact information. Next, the form asks you to select how you were involved in the accident. California law only allows reports to be released to those with a right or need to know.
Generally, this means one of the following:
- A driver involved in the crash
- A passenger
- Someone else who was injured (for example, a pedestrian or bicyclist)
- Anyone who sustained property damage from the accident (such as a property owner whose fence was damaged)
- Someone who was arrested as a result of the incident
- A witness
- The parent or legal guardian of a minor involved in the collision
- An attorney or insurance agent for one of the above parties
- The person who reported the crash
How Long Does It Take to Receive Your Reedley Car Accident Report?
In most situations, you should be notified if your request is approved within ten calendar days. The online form notes that it takes at least five working days (Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM) to process a request.
Once you’ve been notified your request has been approved and the report is ready, you’ll need to pick it up at the Reedley PD quickly. If you don’t retrieve it within ten working days of the original request, you may have to start over with a new request.
When you pick up your report, please bring your photo ID and $16 for each copy of the report you need.
Where Does the Report Say Who Is at Fault?
There are several important things to understand about a car accident police report:
- The purpose of a police report is to gather information about the involved parties and determine how the accident happened. This is not the same as identifying who is at fault or liable for the accident.
- The police report will include a factual diagram of the accident.
- The police report will note any “contributing factors” to the collision, including driver actions like speeding, driving while distracted, or driving under the influence.
- More than one party can be at fault for an accident or injury under California’s pure comparative negligence
- When both drivers contribute to a car collision, each driver is considered responsible for their own share of the damages. However, both parties can pursue damages for the percentage of responsibility the other party has. So, if you are 20 percent at fault, you should expect to recover 80 percent of your damages from the other driver’s insurance.
Does the Police Report Show Each Driver’s Percentage of Fault?
No, this is not part of the responding officer’s duties. The insurance adjusters involved in your case will review the report and determine each participant’s responsibility.
If you are the only party to file an insurance claim, it’s likely the adjuster assigned to your case will make the determination alone. If both you and the other driver make claims, the two adjusters will negotiate with each other before arriving at a conclusion that satisfies both of them.
Who is missing in these scenarios? You or someone who represents your interests.
The insurance adjusters are both concerned with saving their companies money. And while their final decision will be based on the facts of the case (including information in the police report), the process is still somewhat subjective.
In some cases, the insurance adjusters have assigned too much responsibility to one party and too little to another or even assigned blame to someone who did not contribute.
The best way to protect yourself and your right to recover the largest settlement possible is to contact a seasoned personal injury lawyer as soon as you can after your accident. We’ll work to ensure the insurance adjusters view your claim fairly.
If there is any confusion about the report’s facts, we can investigate the accident and search for additional evidence to show you had little to no fault.
How Can You Get Help From a Reedley Car Accident Lawyer?
The legal experts of Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law are always ready to provide a complimentary evaluation of your car accident case. Our services extend to guiding you through the intricacies of your police report, accurately assessing the worth of your claim, and advocating for an optimal settlement.
If we take your case, you won’t have to worry about spending your time on the phone with insurance representatives—we’ll negotiate with the insurer for the best outcome possible while you focus on your recovery. Call us today at (559) 878-4958.
