If you are wondering how to get a car crash report in Orem, UT, the easiest way is to request an electronic copy through the Department of Public Safety’s Public Records Portal. You will have to create an account, but this is easy to do. Your Orem car accident lawyer can help you if needed.
Who Can Get a Car Crash Report
Not everyone can get a car crash report in Orem, UT. These records contain sensitive personal information, and the Department of Public Safety considers them confidential. Only certain people can access them. Typically, the following parties can get car crash reports:
- A person who was involved in the accident
- Anyone who suffered a loss or injury as a result of the accident
- Close relatives of car accident victims, for example, parents
- Insurance agencies or attorneys
- Anyone with written permission from a person involved in an accident
- Officials who may need crash information to perform their duties
- Rarely, members of the press, but this type of access is restricted
If you are close to a person who has been in an accident but do not fit any of these descriptions, it may be difficult for you to get a crash report. An accident victim may be too badly injured to give you the necessary permissions. We may be able to advise you.
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Information You Need to Get a Car Crash Report in Orem, UT
Once you have created an account, the online portal will guide you through getting an accident report. Access the Web App, and have the following information ready:
- Photo ID
- Date and location of the accident
- Names of people involved
- The accident report number
You should receive an accident report number if you were on the scene. Police will give you a sheet of paper, and it will provide you with an accident report number. You or your lawyer can use this number to access your accident report easily.
How to Get a Comprehensive Car Crash Report
If you were involved in a multi-vehicle accident, you will need comprehensive information that includes all the factors contributing to your accident. This helps to build a clear picture of everything that occurred.
Be sure to include the names of everyone who was involved in the accident so that you get a comprehensive report. It should include all police findings, including what other drivers said and what witnesses reported.
Looking at a full accident report gives you a clearer idea of your position. For example, you will know what factors police consider when they give their opinion on who is at fault.
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Information You Should Find in a Car Crash Report
A car crash report includes a great deal of information about your accident, especially if it was a major accident with police present on the scene. If the accident seemed minor, you may have reported it at a police station. In that case, it will only have information you have already reported. A police report contains the following:
- When and where the accident occurred
- The personal information of everyone involved in the accident
- Their insurance information
- A description of the vehicles involved in the accident
- A description of the circumstances of the accident and what caused it
- Information on the damage caused to each vehicle
- Information on injuries reported at the scene
- Statements from drivers and people who witnessed the accident
- A report on any laws that were violated
- In some cases, a diagram showing the accident scene
- There may also be images, including dashcam or body-worn camera videos, related to your crash
Most people are unsure how to interpret accident reports or how to check them. Important details may be missing from the reports. It is wise to allow a lawyer to examine your accident report to see whether any information should be added.
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Why Your Car Crash Report is So Important
You need to know how to get a crash report in Orem, UT, or how to authorize a lawyer to get it. Car crash reports generally indicate who the police believe to be at fault. These findings are crucial to any lawsuits that follow.
For example, if you are believed to have shared liability for a crash, you may not be able to claim the full amount of damages for which you would otherwise be eligible. If you examine Utah Code 78B-5-818, you will see that you can only achieve a settlement that takes your proportion of fault into account.
What is more, you can only claim if you are considered less than 50% to blame for an accident. An incomplete police report could mean that you are unable to claim any compensation. A lawyer can investigate and may be able to change a sure loss or reduced compensation into a win for you.
Having a Lawyer to Get a Car Crash Report in Orem, UT, and Check It, Helps You
An Orem motorcycle accident lawyer can carefully scrutinize police reports, which is particularly important because of incorrect witness statements. These may occur because of bias against motorcyclists or purely because motorcycles are less visible.
When people are severely injured in an accident, it is always advisable to check crash reports carefully to identify inconsistencies. For example, our Orem truck accident lawyer frequently deals with cases in which people were badly injured. Critical scrutiny of crash reports is an important first step to help them stand a good chance of gaining a favorable settlement.
In short, the more important your settlement is to you, the more you are likely to benefit from an experienced lawyer’s opinion on the accident report. When large settlements are at stake, a crash report that seems to favor you may yet be challenged. Similarly, a report that finds you at fault may be incorrect.
If You Were Injured in a Crash, Our Utah Lawyers Can Help
Whether it was you or someone close to you, being injured in a car crash is traumatic. Unfortunately, the financial consequences can be almost as stressful. You need to get your life back on track, and that is where Siegfried & Jensen can help.
You should consider how to get a car crash report in Orem, UT, and what to do with it once you have it. Our lawyers will be able to assess it in detail, with your version of events in mind. We may know how to fight your case so that you get the settlement you need, even when police reports are not in your favor. Talk to us today.
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