If you were in a car accident in Tampa, Florida, one of the most important documents related to the crash is the police accident report. Understanding how to read a police accident report is crucial for protecting your legal right to seek compensation for your injuries after a wreck.
The accident report contains essential information about the incident, including the contact information of everyone involved, a description of all damage and injuries, and notes on the factors that contributed to the crash. Whether you’re filing an insurance claim or considering a personal injury lawsuit, this report will play a vital role.
How to Access a Florida Police Report Online
Before you can read the car accident police report, you must know how to access it. The easiest way to access an accident report in Florida is through the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) website. Use the following steps to access the crash report:
- Visit the FLHSMV Website – Go to the crash report purchasing section of the FLHSMV website.
- Verify Your Eligibility – Within the first 60 days after a crash report becomes available, only certain individuals, such as those involved in the incident, their attorneys, and their insurance companies, can access it.
- Fill Out the Required Information – To locate your report, you will need to fill out information such as the date of the accident, the names of the parties involved, and the location of the accident. According to Florida law, police have ten days to submit crash reports, so it may not be available if you attempt to access your report within the first few days.
- Pay the Fees – There is a $10 fee for accessing police reports and an additional $2 fee when requesting the report via the online portal. You can also visit or mail a request to a Florida Highway Patrol station to obtain a copy of the report.
- Wait for the Report – After making your purchase, the report will become available online immediately, and you will receive an email containing a download link. The download link is only active for 48 hours, so make sure to download the report within that period.
If you need assistance obtaining a copy of your police report, your attorney can help. They will likely want a copy to include in your case records.
Information Present in a Florida Police Report
Once you can access the police report, it’s important to understand how to read it. Florida police report for car accidents are four pages long and have several key sections, each providing valuable information about the accident:
- Crash Date, Time, and Location – The top of the first page includes the date and time of the crash and its location, including the type of road on which the crash occurred. This information is crucial for confirming when and where the accident occurred.
- Driver and Vehicle Information – The report also includes the names and contact information of the drivers involved in the crash and information about their vehicles, such as make, model, year, and license plate numbers. This information is necessary for filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit.
- Witness Contact Information – Accident reports include witnesses’ names and contact information, which may be essential to your claim or lawsuit.
- Type of Crash, Damage, and Injuries – The report details the type of crash (rear-end, head-on, T-bone, etc.), the vehicle damage, and the injuries suffered by the parties. This information can establish the facts of the case and make it harder for insurance companies to dispute your claim.
- Contributing Factors to the Crash – Police reports include information on factors that may have contributed to the crash, such as road defects or the weather. This information can be key in determining fault in a personal injury lawsuit.
- Traffic Violations – If either driver violated traffic laws, such as speeding or running a red light or stop sign, police will include this information in the report. This information can also help determine fault.
- Written Report – The police will write a short report detailing the findings of their investigation.
- Accident Diagram – The police will sketch a diagram of how the accident occurred and the placement of the vehicles afterward.
Is a Police Report Admissible as Evidence?
In Florida, as in most states, police reports are not admissible as evidence in lawsuits because they count as hearsay. However, that doesn’t mean the report isn’t essential for recovering compensation for your injuries, or you can’t use it in any way. Two important ways the police report can help are:
- Filing Insurance Claims – Most insurance companies require a copy of the police report when filing your claim. They use the report to verify that the accident happened and that the details you provide align with those in the report.
- Supporting Your Legal Strategy – If you’re filing a lawsuit after a car accident, while you can’t use the police report as evidence, you can use its content to support your legal strategy. For example, you can use it to get the contact information of witnesses who can corroborate your version of events. Your attorney can also use the report’s details as a jumping-off point for their investigation, such as if the police note that the other driver was speeding.
Contact a Tampa, Florida, Car Accident Attorney
If you were injured in a Tampa, Florida, car accident, a crash report is a document that will play a crucial role in your fight to recover compensation. Whether you’re filing an auto insurance claim or holding the other driver financially liable through a personal injury lawsuit, a police report provides an objective account of the crash.
Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (619) 233-5020 or contact us online for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney service not only in Tampa but also in San Diego, Mission Valley, and Carlsbad, CA. Our Tampa car accident attorneys will assist you in obtaining a copy of the police report, review the report with you, and explain your legal options for seeking the compensation you deserve.
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