- August 12, 2024
- Tucker Law
- Car Accident Lawsuits
When you are involved in a car accident in New York City, you are required to do several things. For example, if anyone is injured, New York requires you to report a car accident to local police. This is relatively easy to do — you just need to call 911. But just because it is easy doesn’t mean it is free of consequence.
Reporting the accident results in a police officer’s creating a car accident report. A car accident report is considered a public record, which means other parties can potentially get access to the report or the information contained in it. Will this hurt you? That depends on several factors. Here is what you should know about car accident reports in New York City.
What Does a New York Car Accident Report Contain?
A car accident report is primarily a way for the city to track all of the accidents that occur within city limits. This information can be used for several different purposes, including determining which streets are most dangerous and what time of day most car accidents occur. Thus, the majority of a car accident report is basic information answering the what, when, and where questions that someone might want to know. Every car accident report should include:
- The location where the accident occurred
- Any identifying features or landmarks if an address or street corner isn’t nearby
- The date and time of the accident
- The name, address, phone number, date of birth, and driver’s license number of each driver
- The type of vehicle each party was driving
- Who else was in the vehicles
- Names and contact information for witnesses
- Statements from all parties involved and witnesses
- A rough sketch of the accident scene.
The accident report will also include information like the county and city where the accident occurred. While some of this information may be helpful, this isn’t usually the type of information that someone might want to keep from becoming public. What you might be concerned about becoming public is the officer’s opinion about fault. Most accident reports will include an initial opinion about who was at fault in the accident. However, it is important to note that this is only an initial opinion, and further evidence may prove it false.
Finally, you shouldn’t necessarily fear what is in an accident report. It can also include information that is useful to your accident claim. For example, if you were involved in a hit-and-run accident, the accident report will note that the other driver fled the scene. This report is all the proof you need when you inform your insurance company of that fact.
Were you seriously injured in a car accident in New York City? Contact Tucker Lawyers today to discuss your case with an experienced car accident attorney. Call us at (516) 399-2364 to schedule a free consultation.
Is the Crash Report Proof of Fault in a Car Accident?
The crash report is evidence of fault but not proof. That difference is meaningful. Fault typically doesn’t matter in New York car accidents because New York is a no-fault state. This means that your insurance company pays for any repairs to your vehicle, medical costs, and lost income regardless of who was at fault in the accident. The only time fault is likely to come up is when someone is seriously injured and wants to file a lawsuit.
When that happens, fault needs to be proven. This doesn’t mean you should worry about the accident report’s being public, though. In any lawsuit, lawyers from both sides are going to get as much evidence as possible. The initial opinion of an overworked police officer at the scene of the accident will hold little weight compared to the extensive forensic evidence that both lawyers will establish during a trial. Additionally, even if the report wasn’t made public, the other driver would have access to the contents because they were involved in the accident.
If you reach the point where fault matters in a car accident, there will likely be significantly more evidence available than the initial opinion of the responding police officer.
The only other situation where the fault is likely to matter is your future insurance bills. Insurance companies will usually raise your rates if you are at fault in the accident. This is a situation where an insurance company might rely solely on the accident report, especially if it allows the insurer to charge you more money. If you think the report is inaccurate, contact Tucker Lawyers to get help. We will investigate your claim and help you fight the insurance company if it is unfairly assigning fault to you.
How to Get a Copy of a New York City Car Accident Report
As previously mentioned, New York City accident reports are considered public records. This means that anyone can potentially request a copy of the report and find out what it says. Getting a copy of a NYC vehicle accident report is relatively simple. You can go online and search the accident report database. New York offers both free and paid searches. Paid searches provide additional information and require you to know less about the accident to get records.
Once you find the listing for the report, you can purchase a copy of the report for $15. The copy is made available online in PDF form for seven days. If you don’t download the PDF within that time, you will need to purchase the report again to regain access.
Contact Tucker Lawyers Immediately After a Car Accident
Getting into a car accident in New York is a scary experience. You have to deal with tasks like contacting the police and getting an accident report, often while badly injured. An experienced lawyer from Tucker Lawyers can help with all that red tape.
Were you or a family member seriously injured in a New York car accident? Contact Tucker Lawyers at (516) 399-2364 today to schedule a free consultation.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]