You’re looking to file a car accident report, but you have never been in a wreck before. You’re not sure where to start and the authorities are not exactly easy to communicate with. What does the report need to include?
Below are eight critical pieces of information that should be in the report:
- The name, phone number and address for both you and the other driver.
- The driver’s license number belonging to both people.
- Any contact information for others who may have been involved. For instance, perhaps a pedestrian was injured or maybe you had a passenger with you in the car at the time of the crash.
- The insurance information for both drivers, including the name of the company and the policy number.
- The license plate number from both of the cars involved — or more, if this was a multi-vehicle wreck.
- The body style of each car, along with the specific make and model. For instance: Pickup truck, Ford F-150 or SUV, Jeep Grand Cherokee.
- The VIN from each car (Vehicle identification number).
- A brief description of the type of damage sustained by the vehicles. If you do not know the names of specific parts, just list where the damage occurred — for example, the front left corner of the car.
In many cases, the police will respond and create their own accident reports, but you may need to submit one if they do not do so. In Pennsylvania, you legally have five days to submit.
Were you injured in a car accident? If so, be sure you know all of your rights to compensation for lost wages, medical bills and more.
Source: FindLaw, “Pennsylvania Car Accident Report Basics,” accessed April 18, 2018