How to Get a Charlotte Police Report After an Accident

Being involved in a car accident can be shocking, and it can be challenging to know what to do once your car comes to a stop. One of the first things you should do is call 911 and ask for medical help and a police officer to come to the accident scene. The police officer may secure the car accident scene and may write an official report. The accident report should contain helpful information about you and all of the other parties involved. We will discuss what is in a police report and how you can obtain one after your accident below.

The police officer who arrives at your accident scene may inspect the vehicles involved in the accident, measure the distance between the vehicles, and talk to people nearby. The police officer will likely take notes and write down the information he or she is gathering. The officer will probably take photographs of the accident and collect all the parties’ and witnesses’ contact information. Police officers who investigate car accident scenes are usually able to gather information to create a police report. Police reports are summaries of the investigation conducted by a police officer. Most police reports include some or all of the following types of information:

• The approximate time, location, and date of the car accident
• The identifying and contact information for all the parties involved in the accident, including their addresses, names, phone numbers, and insurance policy information
• The identifying and contact information for witnesses to the car accident
• Information about the damage to the vehicles from the collision
• Roadway, visibility, and weather conditions at the scene of the accident
• A diagram of the automobile accident
• Statements from the witnesses and parties
• Any violations of law or citations the officer issued
• The police officer’s opinions as to the fault or cause of the car accident

If you are involved in a car accident in North Carolina, you can request a car accident report by completing the Crash Report Request Form (TR-67A). You will need to print out the form and mail it along with the fee amount, which is currently $5.50. You can also drop off the form at the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters, located at 1100 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC 27697. After you complete the steps, you should receive a certified copy of the police report. The North Carolina Department of Transportation also provides a Crash Report Dictionary, available online, to help you understand the terms used in your accident report.

You can provide the law enforcement officer who arrived at the scene of your car accident with your email address. The officer may be able to enter your information so that you automatically receive a copy of the accident report when the case becomes assigned to a police officer for follow-up. If the accident took place in Charlotte, another option is to call 322 or CMPD Records number [704-336-2848]. You will need to provide the number of the complaint, which you can request from the officer at the scene. You can receive your copy via email. You can also email CMPD Records and request an email copy of your record.

After a driver files an insurance claim, the insurance company will assign a claims adjuster. The claims adjuster will begin an investigation into the accident. One of the first things claims adjusters ask for is the police report because it contains information about the car accident. The police officer and insurance company’s opinions may be different. Sometimes the information in a police officer's report will favor you as the victim, but it may favor the other driver.

The information written in the police report can be an opinion or a fact. Information such as the location of the vehicles and the time of the accident are facts. Determinations about who was at fault for the car accident are the police officer’s opinion. Unfortunately, even if the officer writes that you are not at fault for the car accident, the car insurance company may still deny your claim or provide you with an unfair settlement offer that is far too low.

If you or your loved one have been involved in a Charlotte car accident, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, today to schedule your free initial consultation to learn more about how we can help you seek the compensation you deserve after a car accident. Call us now at 704-370-2828.