To get a car crash report in Spokane, WA, reach out to the Washington State Patrol. You will need a collision report number or case number to access your report. If you are struggling, our Spokane car accident lawyer can help you get the report you are looking for.
Parties Who Can Access a Crash Report in Spokane, WA
A full crash report contains a lot of personal information. Although various parties can get redacted versions, only a few people have access to all the information, including:
- Prosecuting attorneys
- The chief of police or county sheriff
- The director of licensing
- The chief of the Washington State Patrol
- Officers and commissions licensed to view full information by law
- The drivers involved in accidents
- Their legal guardians (where applicable)
- Any person injured in an accident
- Owners of vehicles or property damaged in an accident
- Attorneys and insurers representing the people involved
Anyone furnishing information for the purposes of a report is required to have reasonable certainty that the details they provide are true and correct.
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Information You Need to Get a Car Crash Report in Spokane, WA
Because the information you are requesting is confidential, you must be able to furnish proof that you are entitled to a full report. This may include proof of ID and, where applicable, proof of your relationship to the person who was involved in the accident. Other information includes:
- The time and place where the accident happened
- The names of the people involved in the accident
- The accident report number or case number provided by the police
The easiest way to get a car crash report in Spokane, WA, is through online access to collision records from the Washington State Patrol. Its platform will guide you through the necessary steps to obtain a full report.
Tips For Getting a Full Car Crash Report and How It Helps
You will need to name the people involved and show that you have a right to access all the details, including their personal information. You should not disclose these details to anyone other than your lawyer, who also has the right to access a full report.
A complete accident report will include information on who police believe was responsible for the accident and whether or not they think you were partly to blame. This will show you where you stand if you hope to claim compensation.
However, it may be possible to query accident reports based on the evidence you have. Your lawyer will also know how to get a car crash report in Spokane, WA, and can conduct an independent investigation. There may be details that should be added to the report.
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Information You Can Find in Car Crash Reports
If you thought the accident was minor, you may have reported it at a police station or through the online motor vehicle collision reporting platform. If so, the report will not furnish details you do not already know. If police attended the scene, however, you may find information you were not aware of, along with the facts you already knew. It will include:
- The date, time, and location of your accident
- The names and insurance details of everyone involved
- The details of all vehicles involved in the accident
- The official take on why your accident happened and who caused it
- A description of the damage to vehicles and the injuries noticed at the time
- Statements from drivers and witnesses on the scene
- Information on any violations, such as speeding or DUI
- Diagrams of the accident scene
- In some cases, images like traffic camera footage, photos, dashcam video, or body camera footage
Most people are not used to analyzing this type of report. Certain information may be missing, or there may be reason to suspect inaccuracies. A lawyer can use their experience to see whether there are questionable elements or missing links.
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Your Car Crash Report is Vital to Any Litigation That Follows
Your lawyer will know how to get a car crash report in Spokane, WA, as well as how to analyze it. They can see whether the report favors your ability to claim compensation. If there are gaps, they may uncover facts that favor you during their crash investigations.
Fault is always a point of contention in car crash cases. A report may show you were partly to blame, and if defendants can show you were 50% or more to blame, you may not be entitled to any compensation whatsoever. A lawyer can help you by investigating your crash in detail.
Any information that reduces the percentage of fault allocated to you in a car crash report will boost your potential compensation. A closer look at Section 4.22.070 in Washington State law will show you that your perceived percentage of fault will proportionately reduce compensation.
Examples of Situations in Which Car Accident Reports Are Contentious
As our Spokane motorcycle accident lawyer knows, witnesses will often claim that a motorcycle “came out of nowhere,” even though the driver was obeying the highway code. Because motorcycles are less visible, riders may be blamed for something they do not deserve.
Truck accidents can cause carnage that witnesses struggle to process. Our Spokane truck accident lawyer has experience with this and how it may skew accident reports. Ultimately, a specialist reconstruction can reveal details that witnesses failed to see. We have access to experts who help clarify the facts.
Although officers strive to provide accurate accident reports, they often face time pressure and may be influenced by subconscious biases. Because of this and conflicting eyewitness accounts, their crash reports sometimes lack important details that a car accident lawyer can easily spot.
Analyze Your Crash Report With Your Attorney
Knowing how to get a car crash report in Spokane, WA, is only the beginning. Once you have it, you need a professional opinion on its contents. Siegfried & Jensen can help. We have been in business for more than 30 years. Our team knows how to assess crash reports and look for the missing links that may benefit you. Call today for a free consultation.
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