When you’re involved in a car accident which causes damage or injury, you’re required to notify law enforcement. A police officer will come to the scene, take down information and file a police report.
Police reports can be very helpful evidence after an accident—but what happens if they get it wrong? Here are some options to amend a police report after the fact.
Types of errors and how to dispute them
There are several types of errors you may find in a police report. Factual errors are the easiest to correct, such as the location, time, date or vehicles involved. An officer may file a supplemental report to correct the errors—visit the station to talk to the officer involved.
Transcription errors may be more difficult to correct. For example, they may write down the wrong rate of speed or which direction the vehicles were traveling. Talking to the officer who wrote the report may refresh their memory and lead them to correct the information, but it’s not guaranteed.
Omitting information can also be troublesome, such as if an officer failed to report your injuries or certain types of damage. You can reach out to the officer and ask them to amend the report to include this information, but again, there’s no guarantee they’ll be amenable.
Keep in mind that the police are unlikely to amend a report when it’s a matter of subjective belief, such as an officer finding that you violated traffic laws or an eyewitness’s statement. Ultimately, if you’re concerned about errors in the police report affecting your accident settlement or lawsuit, talk to a personal injury attorney. They can tell you whether you have cause for concern and what your options may be.
For more information about auto accidents and amending police reports, reach out to a trusted Sarasota, FL auto accident lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.