When the Police Report is Wrong

After a car accident, it is wise to call the police so that they can make a report of the accident. In the report, the officer will jot down information such as where the accident occurred, who was involved, witnesses that were present, the extent of the vehicle damage, the injuries sustained by the parties, and, sometimes, which party was at fault. This is very helpful when it comes time to determine liability later on, but what happens if the police report is incorrect? Or worse, what if the information on the report points to you as the one who is liable?

There are many ways in which one can handle a tricky police report, but it is wise to contact an experienced auto accident attorney to take care of the situation for you. When the police report is working against you, your case is beyond a cut-and-dry case and it is important to have a knowledgeable lawyer to assist the situation.

The first step in handling an incorrect police report is to make a request to have the report amended. This request would include a statement of facts of the pertinent details of the accident and your attorney would ask that your version of the incident be attached to the original report. It will be entirely up to the officer's discretion whether or not to include your version of events into the report, so it is essential that an attorney make the request for you.

If the police report suggests that you are the party at fault, your attorney can take steps to defend you. Your lawyer can attack faults on the report like information that was taken from the other party or unreliable witnesses. Another way to fight a police report is to attack the experience and training to analyze skid marks or vehicle positioning.

The attorneys at Portner & Shure are ranked amongst the best in Greenbelt, Maryland and around the DC Metro area. In fact, Jonathan Portner is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, has been featured in TIME magazine's 2013 Excellence in Law, and is a member of The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers organization. We strive to listen and communicate with our clients through our multilingual paralegals and provide the best legal services with our knowledgeable attorneys and legal team.