When you get into a car accident or other personal injury accident, one of the first things you should do is call the police and get the accident documented. One of the major benefits of calling the cops after an accident is that the police document the accident site and create a report, which later proves significantly helpful during the legal battle.
However, not every piece of information on the police report may be accurate. Police officers are, at the end of the day, humans and can make mistakes. If you find factual, transcription, or other kinds of errors in the police report, you can request them to change it by taking the right steps. Speak to an attorney to know more about the process and get answers to questions about personal injury.
Is it possible to change the information in a police report?
Generally, the information in a police report can be changed. However, whether the officers allow the change depends on the type of information being requested for change.
- Factual errors: If the information you request to change is factually wrong and you have the right evidence to support your claim, you should not face any issues with the change. For example, if the police state the wrong date of the accident or misspell your name, the change can easily be done.
- Disputed information: Disputed information is those which are yet to be proved. For example, information like whose fault it was or which behavior of the driver led to the accident is less likely to be changed.
- Transcription errors: Transcription errors are quite common. After all, police officers are human beings. They take the information from the accident site in a hurry and compile them together to make a report in the hours after the accident. Sometimes they take incorrect notes which do not make sense.
- Errors of omission: Omission errors occur when police officers leave out crucial information. If you think the police report is missing information, you can ask for an addition or inclusion. For example, suppose you told the officers that you experienced soreness and pain in your neck and back after the accident. But, the report contains no mention of your injuries. This information is crucial for your car accident claim.
While most people do not realize their importance, police reports can make or break a car accident claim. And the information in the police report could be the line between getting and not getting compensation for your damages.
