There you are, driving down Main Street looking for a place to park when suddenly a car pulls out of a spot and slams into you. Maybe you’re making your way home on the Bluegrass Parkway when another driver makes a reckless lane change and sideswipes you. The first instinct is to check for injuries. Then you check the extent of your damage. After that, you’ll want to call the police.
If the crash involves an injury or a vehicle that can’t be driven, Kentucky law requires the officer who responds to investigate and file a written report. That report will be based on the officer’s observations and on what the drivers and witnesses say at the scene. Depending on the severity of the accident, additional police may arrive and file a report as well.
What if those reports conflict? What if the police don’t show up at all? In either scenario, it could affect your insurance claim.
When your claim is compromised, you need the support of a skilled Bardstown car accident attorney.
That attorney will help gather additional evidence that will support your version of the accident.
What Is Included in a Police Crash Report
Although a police crash report can be a valuable part of your claim, it is not infallible. Police reports provide important documentation that insurance companies use to investigate Kentucky car accidents and determine liability. These reports typically contain the following information:
- The date and time the accident occurred and when officers arrived
- Street names, intersections, highways, mile markers, and direction of travel at the accident location
- Driver information including names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and contact information
- Vehicle information including makes, models, years, license plate numbers, and vehicle identification numbers (VINs)
- Insurance information
- Weather and road conditions
- Officer’s narrative explaining how the collision reportedly occurred
- Crash diagram
- Vehicle damage
- Driver and passenger injuries
- Witness names, contact information, and witness statements
- Traffic violations
- Contributing factors
- Physical evidence such as skid marks, debris, vehicle resting positions, and other observations
- Investigating officer’s name, badge number, agency, and report number
- Fault-related observations including the officer’s assessment of contributing circumstances
Keep in mind that not every report contains all these details. Officers might identify contributing factors without making a definitive legal determination of who is at fault for the accident.
The Role of Police Reports in Kentucky Car Accident Claims
When you file an accident claim, you’ll be assigned an adjuster who will investigate the accident on the insurance company’s behalf. One of the first pieces of evidence they’ll review is the police officer’s report.
The adjusters will review the report to examine the reporting officer’s observations. They’ll also note any traffic violations issued and the accident diagram. That report could corroborate statements made by drivers and witnesses. If reports conflict, the adjuster will turn to supplemental evidence to determine what happened, and remember, a police officer can only write a report based on observations made after the accident.
Footage from a traffic camera or a nearby business’s security camera can show what happened in the moments leading up to the crash. That can establish who is at fault.
When the Police Don’t Show Up
If you’re involved in a car accident, you want the police to show up to write a report. Kentucky law requires drivers to notify the police right away when anyone is hurt or a vehicle can’t be driven.
However, after a minor crash with no injuries, the police might not show up. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a report. The difference is that you and the other driver will file the report. If no officer investigates and the crash caused more than $500 in property damage, Kentucky law requires the drivers to file a written report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days of the accident.
The state police take these civilian collision reports online.
If an officer does show up and writes a report, you don’t need to submit a separate civilian report. The officer’s agency then has 10 days after the investigation to file its report with the Kentucky State Police.
Why Legal Representation Is Essential for Disputed Liability
Kentucky law allows accident victims, their attorneys, and qualifying insurers to obtain copies of collision reports. In Bardstown, you can get a report online or in person through the police department. If a report contains inaccuracies or conflicting information, you can ask the department to correct factual errors, and your attorney can challenge the officer’s conclusions with other evidence.
The attorneys at McCoy & Hiestand, PLC, can help with those challenges.
We don’t rely exclusively on the police report. Instead, we gather all relevant evidence, such as surveillance footage, photographs, and independent witness statements. Our goal is to help our clients establish fault and protect their right to compensation.
The more evidence we can collect, the stronger the claim will be. We know the tactics insurance companies use, and we know a police report doesn’t always tell the whole story.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you’ll have questions about what happens next. You can get those answers with a free case evaluation from our legal team. We represent clients in Bardstown and throughout Kentucky.
Our attorneys can provide the guidance you need to make an informed decision about how to best pursue your claim.
Don’t wait to go after what you’re due.
