If you are involved in a car accident of any kind in Virginia, you should call the police immediately. Don’t let the other driver convince you that “we don’t need to get the police involved.” When you call 911, a law enforcement officer should respond to your crash within a short amount of time. The officer can direct traffic, secure the scene, and conduct an investigation. Ultimately, the officer will prepare a crash report if the officer concludes that the accident involves:
- Injury
- Death
- Total property damage of $1,500 or more.
The crash report will contain several basic facts about your accident, and it will provide a great deal of other information. The report can help your car accident attorney from Marks & Harrison to get started right away on launching an independent investigation into what happened in your collision.
The best way to get a copy of your car accident report in Virginia is to contact the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, you may also be able to get it from the police department that responded to the collision.
Because a car accident report can serve an important role in your pursuit of just compensation for your injuries and losses, you should learn more about what a report typically contains as well as learn how you can get a copy.
What Does a Police Crash Report Tell You About an Auto Accident?
Law enforcement officers in Virginia use Form FR300P for accident reports. It is entitled, simply enough, “Police Crash Report.” The report contains several different sections and provides information that falls into the following categories:
Basic Crash Information
The top section of the report will state the time, date, and location of the accident.
Driver, Passenger, and Vehicle Information
The next section will contain the names, addresses, and driver’s license numbers of all drivers involved in the collision as well as the vehicle owners’ names and addresses and the names of the insurance companies for the vehicles. The report will state whether a driver was charged with an offense. Also, the report will indicate whether any drivers or passengers suffered injuries.
Collision Details
The report will also provide information about the driver, weather, and vehicle-related factors that may have contributed to the crash. For instance, if the officer concludes that driver distraction was a factor, the officer can check off one or more boxes on the form that identify the type of distraction. The report can also state whether the officer found that factors such as speeding or impaired driving contributed to the accident.
Crash Diagram and Description
In the last section of the report, the officer will draw a diagram of the accident and provide a narrative description of it.
Injured Parties and Eyewitness Accounts
If anyone witnessed the crash, the officer should get a statement and their contact information. The report will also note if there were any injuries or fatalities resulting from the collision.
As you move forward with your car accident claim, you may discover that the police crash report contains inaccurate information. For instance, the photos you took at the scene of the crash may show that the police officer’s diagram is wrong. Your attorney from Marks & Harrison can help you to correct any information within the report.
How Do I Get a Copy of My Car Accident Report in Virginia?
There are two ways to secure a copy of your police report after a car accident in Virginia:
The Virginia DMV
Within 24 hours after a Virginia law enforcement officer completes their investigation of the accident, the officer must forward the written report to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV will keep a copy of the crash report for at least 36 months from the date of the accident.
You can fill out and submit an Information Request Form (CRD 93) or submit a written request that includes, at a minimum, the following information:
- Your name
- Your involvement (such as whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist involved in the accident)
- Date and time of the crash
- Your driver’s license number (if you were a driver in the crash)
- Name of the driver(s) involved in the crash
- Where the crash occurred (such as the street, city, and/or county).
You can submit the form or your written request in person at a DMV office, send it by fax to (804) 367-0390 or mail it to:
Custom Records Work Center, Room 514
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269
The cost is $8 per copy. If you send your request or form by mail, then you must pay by check or money order (no cash).
The Responding Police Department
In some cases, you may be able to get a copy of a crash report by directly contacting the city police department or county sheriff who responded to the crash and prepared the report. However, you must go through the DMV to get a copy of a report that a Virginia State Police trooper prepared.
You should try to get a copy of your crash report as early as you can after the crash. When you report your car accident to your own insurance company, the insurer may actually ask you to send a copy of the report. If possible, you should also bring a copy to your initial consultation with a Marks & Harrison lawyer.
Of course, if you have any difficulty with getting a copy of your police crash report, our legal team can assist you. Virginia law specifically authorizes the attorney for a person injured in a crash (or an attorney representing the personal representative of someone who died in a crash) to order a copy of an official crash report.
Why Do You Need Your Virginia Accident Report?
A car accident report is a valuable piece of evidence in a personal injury claim. It can establish the factors that led to the collision, identify the parties involved, describe what the scene looked like, and note any other observations the responding officer makes. Insurance companies often refer to the police report to determine fault and verify accounts. It also documents facts about the case early on so that they can be referenced later when memories might not be as clear. That makes it essential to obtain a copy, ensure the information is all accurate, and make any necessary changes.
Our Virginia Car Accident Lawyers Are Ready to Help You
For more than 100 years, the attorneys of Marks & Harrison have protected the rights of injury victims and their families throughout Virginia. If a careless or reckless driver hurt you in a car accident, or if you lost a loved one in a crash, our legal team will help to ease your burdens, protect your rights, and pursue all compensation that you are due.
Every case starts with a free initial consultation. Call or reach us online today to schedule your case review through our main office in Richmond or one of our nine other offices located throughout the state.
