This is how you can challenge a car accident report in Denver
Denver, CO – Drivers in Colorado must call the police if they are involved in a car accident resulting in significant property damage, injury, or death. Depending on the location you should contact either the Denver PD or the Highway Patrol. It is your duty under the law, but it is also in your best interests as the police report is a vital piece of evidence in a car accident claim. What happens if you don’t agree with the facts listed in the police report, the report is full of errors, or you think the officer got it all wrong?
The first thing you should do is contact a trustworthy car accident lawyer in Denver. Tell them what happened and have their opinion on the report. There are ways you can challenge the police report and an experienced Colorado accident attorney can put your arguments in legal form.
How do I obtain the police report?
You will have to contact either Denver PD or the Colorado Highway Patrol to get as many copies of the report as you may need. Experienced lawyers say that drivers who don’t need immediate medical care should remain at the scene until the police arrive. This will give you a chance to present your side of the story. Also, don’t forget to get the name of the officer and the department where he works, so you know exactly where you’ll find him.
How do I read a car accident report?
This part can be a bit challenging to the average citizen, as a standard police report is an 8-page document full of codes and terms, many of them quite confusing. The first pages deal with the identity of the drivers involved and a description of the vehicles. Check to see if everything is correct. Any error could result in your claim being dismissed.
Pages 4-8 of a standard crash report deal mostly with the dynamics of the accident, the description of the accident, and, usually, a drawing made by the officer to illustrate what happened. This is the part that you should read twice checking what codes the officer used and what each of them means.
If you disagree with anything the officer wrote, contact an accident attorney right away.
How do I challenge the fact in a police report?
If you discover any errors in the police report, go over every issue with your lawyer before going to the police. According to the law, you have the right to talk to the investigating officer directly or you can file a request with the police department.
Have a lawyer present when you talk to the police officer. Your lawyer will explain what type of proof you can submit to convince the officer to amend his report.
You can use photos taken at the crash scene to challenge some of the findings in the police report. If necessary, your lawyers may be able to retrieve footage from any surveillance camera in the area that may have captured the moment of the crash.
Your accident lawyers may also want to interview some of the witnesses to see if their recollections of the events match yours. If you’re in a car accident, make sure to get the names and contact info of all witnesses.
Prepare a written statement and have your lawyer go over it before filing it. Keep a copy of every communication with the police. Even if the police officer refuses to alter the initial report, you can still use your statement and the proof you’ve gathered when you file a personal injury claim.
If you were recently injured in a car accident in Denver, you should contact a knowledgeable lawyer at the Bryan & Terrill law firm to see how you can recover damages.
Contact info:
333 W. Hampden Ave., #420B
Englewood, CO 80110
(720) 923-2333
