How to Read Your Accident Report

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

How to Read Your Accident Report

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

For those unfamiliar with accident police reports, reading them may not be easy. Reports contain a lot of information regarding each accident, and it’s important to be able to understand all of this information in order to have a good grasp on the case, and to make any necessary corrections to inaccurate data. Here’s how to interpret all of the information presented to you on an accident report, so you know exactly what’s going on in your case.

Detailed Information of the Case

Accident reports often have most information on the top and left side of the paper, containing details on the location and date of the accident, type of accidentand property damage. Reports will often include details on traffic control devices, light, weather, road conditions and speed limits that were present at the time of the accident, along with emergency responders who arrivedfollowing the accident. The boxes containing these articles of information will be numbered, helping increase readability.

Who’s at Fault

On the right side of the paper there will be boxes detailing which parties are at fault in an accident. This section contains all information regarding the responsible drivers.

Occupant Details

This section at the bottom of the report covers all vehicle occupants, including their age and gender, as well as injury details and their physical positions during the accident. Use of safety equipment also appears, and information about occupied vehicles is also relevant in this section.

If you aren’t entirely sure about how to read your report when reviewing it, have a personal injury attorney work with you to not only understand the report in your case, but to also help you receive full compensation.