Importance of a Police Report in Personal Injury Cases

Police reports are usually inadmissible in personal injury lawsuits because they are considered hearsay by the court; however, a police report can be an essential part of settlement negotiations in a car accident injury claim. If the police report regarding your car accident indicates that the other driver or another party was at fault for causing the collision, you can use the report as leverage to claim a fair settlement from the liable party’s insurance company. If you are unable to reach an adequate settlement agreement, it may be necessary to pursue your claim in court through a personal injury lawsuit.

A police report and any witness statements written in the report cannot be submitted as evidence in court. However, information in the report such as weather conditions, names of witnesses and other details regarding the circumstances of your crash may be useful in building a successful personal injury case. Contact the police department or other law enforcement agency that responded to the scene of your accident to obtain a copy of the accident report as soon as possible.