Accident Police Reports in Georgia
In the event of a car accident, you should get a copy of your police report - this document is called an incident report or crash report. This is because it's the only source that tells all the details about what happened during and after the accident. Most importantly, like other forms of evidence in court cases (although not legally binding), these reports are trusted as reliable sources by law enforcement agencies to give out information accurately and without bias. Learn more about Georgia Car Accident Police Reports.
There are three ways to obtain a copy of your police report from your Georgia car accident:
- Pick it up from the police department (or other law enforcement agency) that responded to your accident,
- Order it online
- Let your car accident lawyer handle it for you.
Most people go to the Records Unit, pay a small fee ($5 or less), and pick up their reports. It is normally the case that you will need to visit the police station's general number in order for them to issue your report; however, be sure you confirm with them beforehand what their hours are and what location they will take reports at. Be specific about which incident you're requesting an incident report on - tell them "an assault" if it's a crime against someone else (not an act of self-defense), but say "my personal belongings were stolen from around my home" if it was not illegal or violent in nature.
How would you get a police report online? Going in person to the police station is often inconvenient, so many people recommend getting theirs via buycrash.com - an anonymous website that allows users to make requests for the purchase of reports on car accidents and other crimes. The fee for each request usually ranges from $5-$30 depending on what type of accident or crime has been committed. Note that this is not a government-owned site; it’s a privately owned service.
If you don't know which law enforcement agency responded to the crash, it is easy for everything that has happened in chaos after an accident. It's not like it's all a blur- just take your time and wait patiently with how things go before making any inquiries about what might be going on. In order to get your report back, ask each of these different agencies separately if they have it or use this website so you can research by location and other details without needing a VIN number (if known). The site doesn't require an association between one law enforcement agency and another - just enter whatever information it is available in relation to the car wreck.
If the police did not respond at the time of the incident, then they cannot and will not complete an accident report. This can complicate matters with your insurance company, which may try to blame you for the accident. But if you document everything that happened as soon after the incident as possible by completing a personal accident report, it might serve as some useful evidence when dealing with insurers later on.