What If Theres An Error Or Mistake In The Georgia Motor Vehicle Accident Report
Police officers are human and make mistakes. Uncorrected mistakes can become part of the permanent record. If you see a mistake in the accident report, you should try to get it corrected as soon as possible. You should understand upfront, however, that this can be a real hassle. Officers are very busy and memories fade over time. An officer writes so many of these reports, he or she may not remember your accident, or they may confuse your accident with a different wreck.
Its very possible that a mistake made on a report can become a fact if the officer doesnt correct the document while it is fresh in his mind. Insurance adjusters generally follow what they read on the accident report. If its wrong, you could be denied compensation for not only your property damages but also your personal injury. If you have a question about an accident report, or you think it is inaccurate, you should act quickly by contacting our experienced accident attorneys. Time is of the essence.
Let A Birmingham Car Accident Attorney Answer Your Questions
If you are involved in a Birmingham car accident, the police will typically create a report that includes their findings. What the investigating officer states on this form can play a significant role in determining how much an insurance company offers you for your accident-related expenses.
Because the car accident report may be critical for your case, our Birmingham legal team urges you to carefully read the findings. To obtain a copy of your Alabama Uniform Traffic Accident Report, visit the Alabama Department of Public Safety website.
As a service to you, Shuttlesworth Law Firm LLC has created a sample form with our comments. Our Birmingham legal team hopes this will help you gain a better understanding of your car accident report.
Review the information below and compare it to your form. If you need additional help interpreting your car accident report, dont hesitate to call our Birmingham law firm at 866-583-1885. We can answer your questions, free of charge. Contact experienced car crash attorney Perry Shuttlesworth for a free case evaluation.
Location and Time: Details about where and when your accident occurred are recorded. These include the city, street name, distance to the closest intersection, vehicles involved, pedestrians involved and whether fatalities occurred in the crash.
Unit Number Boxes: Information on drivers and vehicles is recorded, including:
Driver information:
- Full name, address, phone number
- License number
Facts Versus Opinions In Police Reports
The information contained in the police report can be a fact or an opinion. For example, the date, time, and location of the collision are facts. Fault determinations are the opinions of the police officer.
Regardless of what’s included in the police report, the insurance company, through its own investigation, will come to its own conclusion as to who was at fault for the accident.
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Page : Codes For Types Of Injuries
Columns 14, 15, 16 on Page 1
This page explains in more detail the codes for Columns 14, 15 and 16 on Page 1. Similar information can be found on Page 2. However, this page goes into greater detail about this section devoted to the codes for various types of injuries marked in these three columns on Page 1. Make note of the codes entered by the officer in Column 15 on Page 1, a section devoted to the Type of Physical Complaint. The codes include 4 for Minor Bleeding, 5 for Severe Bleeding, 9 for Fracture Dislocation and 10 for Contusion Bruise. The often small difference between a minor and severe injury can be a big deal when it comes to being compensated by insurance companies. Make sure you agree with the investigating officers assessment of your injury. Or contact us immediately. We can help you set the record straight and get you the money you rightfully deserve.
Always Tell The Officer If You Are Even Slightly Injured
Some insurance companies will argue that your injury wasnt caused by the accident if it wasnt mentioned on the police report. If you have any pain or are concerned about function at all, its better to err on the side of telling the officer you may have an injury and that you may need to get treatment.
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New Traffic Crash Advisory
The Traffic Crash Reporting Unit has published UD-10 Advisory #6 which highlights hit & run incidents as well as file classes. Traffic Crash Advisories are developed as a means of keeping Law Enforcement Officials updated with changes to the UD-10 and also to offer guidance with some of the more problematic areas of traffic crash reporting. Click HERE to view Advisory #6.
How To Read Your Texas Car Accident Report
Page One
Top Section Location
This part of the accident report has information about exactly where your accident took place. As a result, this part of the report will have:
- Exact time and date of accident
- Exact location where accident happened, along with the city and county information
- If the accident occurred at an intersection, this information will be noted here as well.
- The posted speed limit at the crash location can be found here as well. This information can be critical, especially if the driver was speeding at the time of your accident.
Page One
Middle Section Identification
Your name and the name of the driver who caused your accident can be found on this part of your accident report. Information about passengers in the vehicles can also be found here. Other important details include:
- Number of people located in each vehicle.
- Severity of injuries sustained in the accident. Insurance companies carefully review this box when deciding whether to reimburse injury victims and how much to compensate them.
- Whether anyone was ejected from the vehicle at the time of the accident.
- Whether an airbag was deployed at the time of the crash.
- Whether an alcohol specimen was taken at the time of the accident. This box is especially important if the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of your crash.
- Whether a test was conducted to determine if the driver was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.
Page One
Lower Section Vehicle Information
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Types Of Accidents Involving Direction Of Travel
Many of the same kinds of car accidents occur over and over again. The direction of travel is essential to describe these common accidents. Consider how the direction of travel plays a role in the following collisions.
The direction of travel information is also especially important when vehicles cross lanes of traffic in serious accidents. It may not seem like the car would have traveled that far, and it may have ended up facing an entirely different direction. However, the direction of travel will tell you just how serious the accident may have been in some circumstances.
Insight You Can Trust From An Experienced Attorney
When youre involved in a car accident in Texas, the investigating police officer fills out a formal report, called the Texas Peace Officers Crash Report . The crash report will be a key piece of evidence in your case. When insurance companies determine fault for the accident, they use the information in the report. Moreover, if the investigating officer is later called to testify in a deposition or at trial which may be years after the wreck they will most likely read from their report as the basis for that testimony.
You need to know what your report says and how it can affect your case. Thats why weve prepared this guide to obtaining and reading your Texas accident report. If you have any questions or need help setting the record straight, contact John R. Solis, Attorney at Law. We would be happy to review your accident report and any other documents relevant to your case in a free consultation.
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Surface Condition Codes Listed On The Crash Report
The Georgia Motor Vehicle Crash Report includes several general categories of surface conditions, including:
- 10 Water
Not all surface conditions are related to weather, but most are. Oil and sand, for example, are often the result of spills from other vehicles or from errors made by nearby construction projects. Nonetheless, these conditions can make it hard to control your car, which may cause a collision.
Make Sure The Date Is Correct
Perhaps one of the most important parts of the traffic collision report is the date of the accident. This is critical when calculating specific deadlines set by law that can bar you from filing a claim or lawsuit. When you get your accident report, make sure that the date is correct. Often times, the police officer may inadvertently make a mistake. Just being one day off can jeopardize your entire case.
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What Are The Essential Parts Of The Motor Vehicle Accident Report In Georgia
Every police report contains four necessary parts. These include:
- The front of the crash report. This portion contains some of the most vital information about the crash.
- The back of the crash report. Although the back of the report often contains less information, it is still important because it allows the reporting officer to give a narrative account of what happened just before, during, and after the accident. It also includes information that the drivers shared with the officer and the officers opinion about what caused the crash. It even allows a space for the officer to draw a diagram of the accident. Information on specific property damage is also included on this back page.
- The overlay. The overlay provides information about the various codes and data fields that are found on the crash report. It used as a key to correctly read the report.
- Continuation sheet or supplemental report form. In some situations, the officer needs more space to accurately report all of the information gathered as part of their investigation. Continuation sheets or supplement forms allow the officer to include all of the information that they think is important or necessary.
The State of Georgia uses electronic means to create and submit Accident Reports. That means that an officer does not have to physically write out an Accident Report. The information is provided to a computer program so that it is easier to read and complete data is provided.
Contact The Law Offices Of James Scott Farrin If You Have Questions Or Concerns
The police accident report is an official record of the crash, but that doesnt mean it is 100% accurate. Police officers are human, and theyre recording what they can find at the scene while trying to manage the situation.
And if you were injured in the accident, you want to ensure that the report is accurate! The insurance company may seize on mistaken information and use it to lower their possible payout or even deny your claim. Call us at or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Our team is ready to listen!
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Our Attorneys Can Set The Record Straight
If you have been in a car accident, the police officer investigating your crash fills out an accident report. In Massachusetts, this form is called the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Crash Police Report. In Connecticut, it’s the Connecticut Uniform Police Accident Report.
Understanding your accident report can be a challenge. There are so many different codes, symbols and abbreviations on your report. There can be additional pages if your accident involved a commercial vehicle, bus or bicycle, or if there were witnesses. All of this information can make the report confusing. That’s why our car accident lawyers created this guide to help you understand your accident report. We know you don’t want excuses. You want answers.
Insurance companies use this form to process your car accident claim. That’s why it’s critical that you understand your accident report. Because if any of the information in your report is wrong, you might not be compensated for your crash.
Give your case an advantage – the Salomone Advantage. Contact us right now. We can help you understand your report and set the record straight if you disagree with any part of the report. Call 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 and schedule your free case evaluation.
Pilot Lands Plane After Threatening To Crash Into Mississippi Walmart Report
Airport worker who knew how to take off but not land is in police custody, report says
The pilot who stole a plane and threatened to intentionally crash into a Walmart superstore in Tupelo, Mississippi, while flying around the state for five hours will be charged with grand larceny and making terrorist threats, authorities have said.
Cory Wayne Patterson, 29, an airport worker who reportedly knew how to take off but not land, could also face federal charges, Tupelo police chief John Quaka said.
The drama began soon after 5am Saturday when Patterson stole the Beechcraft King Air 90 plane. At 9.30am he posted a goodbye message on Facebook. Sorry everyone. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. I love my parents and sister this isnt your fault. Goodbye, Patterson wrote.
That marked the beginning of an erratic flight. Fifteen minutes later, Patterson called 911, warning that he planned to crash into a Tupelo Walmart. Officers evacuated people from the Walmart and a nearby convenience store.
As the plane circled over Tupelo, the citys police department issued a statement saying it had been notified that a pilot of an airplane was flying over Tupelo, a city in north-east Mississippi. The pilot has made contact with E911 and is threatening to intentionally crash into Walmart on West Main.
A snapshot from Flightaware showed a plane flying abstract patterns above the city. allegedlyshowed the plane flying in circles over homes and businesses.
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F: Sequence Of Events
Below the injury fields is a section where the officer can assemble the accident timeline as they understand it based on evidence and witness reports at the scene. If this information is not as you remembered it, or if there is an error, an insurance company could use it to limit or deny you compensation.
Tx Police Accident Report Page One
Page one will detail some basic information about the crash. This includes the time, date, and location of the accident.
You will also find what county the crash occurred in, what city, the street name, and whether or not the accident occurred at an intersection or in a marked construction zone.
If the accident had a fatality, involved a commercial vehicle like an 18-wheeler, involved a school bus, or you were struck by a hit and run driver, this information will be detailed at the top of the first page.
Page one also has sections detailing driver information, vehicle information, and drug/alcohol information.
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Do I Need A Police Report After An Accident
A common misconception is that a police traffic collision report is admissible in trial as evidence. This is normally not true. It is often necessary to take a deposition of the investigating officer and or call the officer as a witness. In addition, if there is no police report, it may be very important to contact the investigating officer to determine if the officer took any notes and ask the officer to save those notes. You should always call the authorities after a crash so that you have a police report.
However, while there is often helpful information on a police report, it does not always provide factual evidence. At the time of the accident, it is the responsibility of the police officer to take statements and document any possible causes that might have led to the accident. Reports like this often contain mistakes, errors, omissions, and judgments. In many cases, these may be incorrect simply because they were not made by an expert.
Still, a police report is intended to be a non-biased point of view that can heavily influence a claim. Without a police report, a judge or the insurance companies must rely solely on the reports of the parties involved. This can result in an unfairly low settlement or unfavorable verdict.
How Our Georgia Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
In order to understand whether mistakes have been made, one must understand the report itself. Reading and interpreting the document requires a key or overlay that is rarely provided by the police department. This key or overlay provides a description as to the meanings corresponding to the symbols and numbers in the report. A Georgia motor vehicle accident report provides the vital information needed right from the start to get a personal injury claim started.
While they can be confusing to read, they are extremely useful if you know what to look for. If you or someone you care about has suffered a serious injury or death because of anothers negligence, and you would like to learn more about your legal rights, our experienced Georgia car accident lawyers can help. We have over 25 years of success handling accident cases, and we can quickly decipher the symbols and codes in your accident report to better understand what happened. From our main office in Duluth, we serve clients from offices in Decatur and represent victims throughout Atlanta and Georgia. To set up your free consultation, you can send us a message online or give us a call.
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