A car accident can turn a typical day on its head, leaving you with potential injuries and property damage to deal with and a whole new set of worries.
Accident reports can play a big part in documenting what happened in a collision. They can be completed by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the local police department, or the local sheriff.
If you are in a car accident, even if there doesn’t appear to be any damage and everyone seems physically fine, you should share your information with the other party involved and ask for theirs. Ensure you get their full name and address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration number for their car.
State law says you have to exchange information with the other driver if there is any damage to the vehicles involved or if anyone is injured or killed.
If the accident results in an injury or death, Oklahoma law requires the drivers to immediately call the local police, sheriff’s department, or state highway patrol.
Whichever authority you call to report the accident will complete an accident report. The traffic collision report will then be submitted to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The report will concisely describe the accident and all relevant information related to the accident, like the weather and quality of driving conditions. The report will also set out any injuries that were sustained and will record if the vehicles were damaged and where the damage was.
An accident report is extremely important when investigating the cause of the accident. The reporting officer could give their opinion or theory of the cause of the accident depending on what they observe at the accident scene.
Although accident reports are typically not considered admissible evidence in Oklahoma courts, their value lies in providing an objective perspective on the details of the accident. An independent assessment of the accident is helpful in several ways.
This third-person perspective can carry a bit of weight when negotiating and dealing with an insurance company. It can provide protection if the insurance company doesn’t accept blame for the accident or offers you less than you think your case is worth.
The report can also help if you end up filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party. It is worth whatever time, effort, and money you have to expend to obtain it.
You can request the accident report by mail. You’ll need to fill out a form that will ask for the date and location of the accident, your name and driver’s license number, and other information. The form and record fee must be mailed to the DPS.
According to state law, reports should be forwarded to DPS within 30 days of the accident. If the accident resulted in any fatalities, the report should be sent within 20 days of the person’s death or within 30 days of the accident, whichever time period is shorter.
You can request an Oklahoma City accident report directly from the Oklahoma City Police Headquarters during their normal business hours. You can fill out the request form ahead of time and bring it with you with the applicable fee.
If you’ve been in a car accident in Oklahoma City, you might find yourself overwhelmed with forms, bills, and insurance questions. An experienced car accident attorney will be able to answer your questions and guide you regarding the best way to proceed with your case.
For more information, please contact the Oklahoma City Car Accident law firm of McGuire Law Firm at our nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
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