While a police report is not binding, it can influence a settlement negotiation. Insurance companies sometimes rely on the information in the report when deciding whether to deny liability. A report may say one person is liable, and a court may later determine the opposite. Even so, a report does provide some value before a court. Especially if another driver tries to blame you wrongly, insurance companies appreciate a police report that proves the adverse driver wrong. For these reasons, it is essential to learn how to get a police report in Maryland.
When do You Need a Report
Before answering how to get a police report in Maryland, you must determine whether you need a report. If you are in a car, truck, motorcycle, or pedestrian accident, or any other type of accident, you can benefit from a police report. The police will only sometimes come to the scene of an accident in Maryland, even if you call them. They may ask how serious the accident is. If it is a minor accident, they may deny service, which they have a right to do. However, police coming to the scene is always beneficial. First, they can collect statements from the parties in the accident.
While some of the statements will be inadmissible in court, they help give the lawyers on either side an idea of what is happening. The police also generally do a great job of collecting information on everyone in the accident. They record the information on an exchange of information sheet. While this is not a police report, it should contain information on each party and their insurance.
How to Get a Police Report Online
Requesting a police report online as an accident victim will vary slightly from county to county. In Prince George’s County, we can order your report online, and the county charges a $10 fee. The services most police departments in Maryland use are Crashdocs and BuyCrash. They require a case number and the name of the party involved. They also ask that you wait 72 hours after an accident to request a report. If you need help requesting the report online, as your attorneys, we are happy to order it on your behalf.
We also advance the $10 cost, which you only have to reimburse if we win your case. This is standard practice among personal injury law firms in Maryland and allows you to focus on your injuries if you are in no condition to request the report yourself. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions about how to get a police report in Maryland online.
How to Get a Police Report in Person
Requesting a police report in person as an accident victim will vary slightly from county to county. You can order your report in Prince George’s County at the Police Records desk. This desk is only available during regular business hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Once you reach the desk, you must complete a report request form. You must also present a driver’s license or government-issued photo ID at the desk.
As with requesting the report online, you will have to pay $10 for the report. You can pay by money order, check, or credit card. If you pay by credit card, the county will charge you an additional fee of $1.50. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions about how to get a police report in Maryland in person.
How to Get a Report by Mail
Requesting a police report by mail as an accident victim will vary slightly from county to county. This is the way we typically do it for our clients. First, we will need your signature to authorize our office to get you a copy of the report. We obtain this signature from you during the onboarding process. While filling out the police department’s form, we include information such as the date of the accident, the location of the accident, the type of accident or incident, and the names of those involved. While this may be enough to get the report without a case number, the case number is always helpful. In this request, we include a check for $10 that we advance for the client. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions about how to get a police report in Maryland by mail.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
If you have any questions on how to get a police report in Maryland, or any other questions about your accident, call our office today for a free consultation.
If you have been injured in a car accident, our experienced car accident lawyer and personal injury lawyer are available for a free consultation.
